The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been asked to probe activities of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah.

Foremost rights group, Human and Environmental Agenda (HEDA), said the Minister has unlawfully diverted the 35 million dollars meant for the Growth and Employment Project, (GEM).

In a petition addressed to the EFCC Ag Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, the Minister is accused of diverting the funds opening up windows for abuse.

The group in a statement made available to News Express on Sunday asked EFCC “to open up the true state of affairs in the implementation of the GEM project.”

HEDA Executive Director, Mr Lanre Suraj, who signed the petition, stated that the funds approved by the Senate in 2013 to run up until 2018 and financed by a loan of $160 million from the World Bank and £90 million grant from United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). The project was designed to support about 4,000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria.

The group said “there are strong suggestions that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, on assumption of office in 2015 made attempts to convert it to an SME fund with suggestions that he earmarked only 25 companies to benefit.”

It spoke of “widespread reports” which “indicated that the Minister abused the guidelines of the project which requested that the project coordinator and an assistant project coordinator in charge of the project must be a Director and an Assistant Director from the civil service.”

According to HEDA, “It was stated in the report under reference that the Minister allegedly deviated from the project terms and brought a former personal staff, Ugo Ikemba, from his private equity company, African Capital Alliance as project co-ordinator and it was also alleged that the personal staff is not only on contract employment but also on the salary of $5 million monthly.”

HEDA noted that “the project would have benefitted teeming unemployed and under-employed Nigerian youths and without this extension, over $100 million balance from the project will be returned to the World Bank and our youths would have opportunities offered by GEM project.”

“The position occupied by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, being a public office, is one that calls for utmost integrity, accountability and responsibility. And the conflicting reports by some media houses as to the status and management of the project by the ministry is in fact worthy of urgent investigation. Also, not of the counter reports responded to the allegation of contracting a former personal staff of the minister as the Project Director with salary paid Dollars,” HEDA added.

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