NITDA says corruption fighting back as agency addresses concerns over implementation of 2017 budget

“It may be of interest to note that officials from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation visited the Agency last week and gave an excellent commendation to the Director General and the Management Team for their efforts at following due process as well as excellent documentation of all financial transactions.”

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has described as false, the information being circulated on the social media it is attempting to circumvent due process requirements in the implementation of the 2017 approved budget.

Also, a group by the name: Good Governance & Accountability Monitoring Group (GGAMG), recently alleged that the management of the agency was by-passing due process in the award of contracts in the 2017 budget as one report in Daily Post claimed.

But the management of NITDA has denied the allegation. An official response in Abuja signed by  Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr Agu Collins Agu, states:

“This is a typical example of disinformation aimed at discrediting the laudable efforts of the current management. We wish to state as follows:

• The Agency has, since assumption of office of the current Director General/CEO, been making frantic efforts at fighting all elements of corrupt practices within and outside the Agency;
• It is on record that in an effort to ensure transparency and accountability, the current Director General is the only Chief Executive in history that implemented almost 100 percent of the Auditor General for the Federation’s audit recommendations regarding irregularities in the Agency without being compelled;
• As a man of proven integrity who vowed to do all he can in supporting Mr President’s fight against corruption in all forms, both within and outside the Agency, the Director General sought the support of anti-corruption Agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC  in fighting corruption in IT procurements in government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as other government establishments;
• It may be of interest to note that officials from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation visited the Agency last week and gave an excellent commendation to the Director General and the Management Team for their efforts at following due process as well as excellent documentation of all financial transactions;
• As for patronizing Galaxy Backbone, it is the Agency’s backup internet provider and when the Agency’s primary provider was down Galaxy upgraded its services to the Agency for 10 days at no extra cost;
• When NITDA’s primary provider cuts off its services, Galaxy was able to immediately upgrade the Agency’s pipe to fill the gaps;
• In an effort to set the record straight, in the Agency’s 2017 Budget, a provision of ninety five million naira (N95m) was approved for internet connectivity for its Headquarters, two annex offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt offices based on what the Agency has been paying its primary provider and its projected capacity upgrade. To our surprise, when the Agency contacted Galaxy Backbone to quote for the same Internet, it was found out Galaxy’s offer was 60% cheaper than what the Agency has been paying over the years. Thus, the Agency expanded the project’s specification to include some value added services that will make her to optimally use its Internet connectivity. As a result, the following were added to the Galaxy quotation to ensure full utilisation of the provision:
  • Video conferencing facility;
  • IP Phones for two Annex offices in Abuja as well as Lagos and Port Harcourt offices;
  • Network infrastructure to enable Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity between the Agency’s Headquarters and its other offices (two annex offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt)
  • Technical Staff Training to ensure adequate capacity to effectively manage the infrastructure; and
  • LAN audit.
• It is on record that so far no contract has been awarded in the Agency as a result of the Director General’s efforts of ensuring that due process has been followed; and
• The above therefore goes to show that what was circulated on the Social Media is a frantic effort of corruption fighting back. It should be noted that the Agency is encouraged by it and will continue its giant strides of fighting corruption.

“We thank all friends and well-wishers of the Agency for bringing this false information to our attention. This is the best way in ensuring that Mr President’s fight against corrupt practices succeeds. We want to restate our commitment to serve our country in the best interest of all. We promise to be fair and just to all Nigerians without discrimination or favour.”

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