ASCON Board Accuses DG Umar-Gayya Of Corruption

The Governing Board of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry in Lagos State, has petitioned the acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan over allegations of corruption leveled against the Director General (DG) Mrs. Cecilia Umar-Gayya.

The board in its petition to the HoS had alleged that Umar-Gayya has failed to implement the recommendations of the board and had shown flagrant disregard for public service rules and Acts establishing ASCON.

In the letter made available exclusively to THE WHISTLER on Wednesday in Abuja, the Board alleged that the DG had rubbished the President’s anti-corruption crusade, rubbished the financial regulation and the oversight responsibilities of the Board and has continued to run the institution based on her whims and caprices and at variance with the Board and other extant regulations and laws governing ASCON.

“We cannot allow ASCON to die under President Muhammadu Buhari, we cannot abuse the trust given to us by Mr. President” declared the 9th Governing Board of ASCON led by Hon. Nduka Anyanwu. 

Other notable members of the Board include former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Musa and Professor Ahmad Aliu amongst others.

It also frowned at the unaudited accounts of ASCON since the DG stepped into office in June 2016 owing to her refusal to hire a suitable audit firm based on the board recommendation, noting that huge contracts were also awarded without reference to the Board. 

According to them, the 2019 ASCON budget was prepared and presented to the National Assembly without the knowledge of the Board, stressing that the DG has also refused to include the repairs of dilapidated chalets for the Board meetings in which she preferred to pay for a five-star hotel in Lagos for all Board meetings. 

”The College Liaison Officer in Abuja also submitted written testimony to the Board on how millions of naira belonging to ASCON was lodged into his personal account for reasons that were highly questionable. 

“All these actions the Board considered as gross financial misconducts and a clandestine cover-up by the DG who bestrode ASCON like an empress, ” it said

In the letter, the Board recommended that a committee made of serious-minded people be constituted to examine the internal audit reports of 2017 and 2018, adding that the committee should be allowed to ascertain how contracts were awarded, level of completion and submit their findings to the Board within 6 weeks.

The petition also recommended that an External Auditors be allowed to audit ASCON books.

The Board maintained that it was not fighting anybody but rather fighting corruption, impunity and flagrant abuse of powers by the DG, actions the Board alleged were capable of killing ASCON’s vision.

They, however, urged the acting Head of Service, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan to use her good office to intervene in the imbroglio by settling it amicably, adding that, “if their recommendations were not met they will be compelled to take the case to a higher authority in order to exonerate themselves (Board) from the problems facing ASCON.”

 But when THE WHISTLER contacted the DG, Mrs. Cecilia Umar Gayya to seek clarification on the allegation; she refused to pick her calls, while SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to her personal number were also not replied.