By Doyin Ojosipe
A court case at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, between a whistleblower, Sambo Abdullahi, and the MD, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trade PLC (NBET) Marilyn Amobi, has revealed how decisions were taken against the former, with disregard to stipulated regulations of the agency.
Itohan Ehiede, head of corporate services at NBET, who appeared as defendant’s witness told the court during a cross examination on Friday 1 November 2019, that provisions by the regulations guiding the offices of the MD, including hers, do not include sacking, transferring or withholding of salaries of workers in the organisation.
She also admitted to have acted on orders of the MD whom she referred to as an imaginary board in an email letter to Abdullahi on withdrawal of his salaries and redeployment to another department without a job description.
Confirming that she could not work without salaries for few months, Ehiede admitted to have denied Abdullahi his salaries and entitlements for over two years.
Meanwhile, documents obtained from a reliable source showed how the embattled whistleblower was redeployed to a newly created department where he was allegedly meant to be rendered redundant while his position as the head of audit at NBET was quickly assigned to a far junior staff.
One of the documents titled MONTHLY REMUNERATION/ALLOWANCE FOR DFA AND HIA, signed by Ehiede, dated July 18, 2017 revealed how the NBET’s head of public services tried to lobby her boss Amobi, to assent to salary increment for some ‘junior’ staff, one of whom was positioned to take the place of the head of audit.
Although, the reason for the action was not clear, the regulating policy guiding the smooth running of the agency did not allocate such powers to both its MD and Head of Corporate Services.
Abdullahi’s ordeal started when he queried some acts by Dr Marilyn Amobi, MD/CEO of NBET, alleging that transactions made by her on behalf of the organisation violated extant circulars, Financial Regulations and agreement duly executed by NBET.
He specifically queried the payment of 7.5million naira to one Engr. Achinaya, a monthly over-invoicing of N2billion naira to Olorunsogo and Omotosho Power plants and 30 million naira to Azinge & Azinge and Aelex law firms to mention a few.
Angered by the auditor’s queries, the NBET MD redeployed Abdullahi to another department and ensured his salaries are withheld since December 2017.
In a bid to challenge continuous intimidation by the MD, the whistle-blower had approached the industrial court who ordered the maintenance of a status quo until the determination of the case.
The case was adjourned to January 14, 2020, for the continuation of hearing.
