Crisis looms in ASCON as board accuses DG 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 alleged acts of corruption perpetrated by its Director General (DG), Mrs. Cecilia Umar-Gayya.

The Board in its petition to the HoCSF alleged that Umar-Gayya has failed to implement the recommendations of the Board and shown flagrant disregard for public service rules and Acts establishing ASCON.In the petition made available to The Guardian, yesterday, in Abuja, the Board alleged that the DG has rubbished the President’s anti-corruption crusade, financial regulation and the oversight responsibilities of the Board.

They alleged that Umar-Gayya has been running the institution 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 reposed on us by Mr. President,” declared the 9th Governing Board of ASCON led by Nduka Anyanwu. Other notable members of the Board include former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Musa and Prof. Ahmad Aliu, amongst others.

They frowned at the non-audition of the accounts of ASCON since the DG stepped into office in June 2016 owing to her refusal to hire a suitable audit firm as recommended by the Board, 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.They alleged that the DG has also refused to include the repairs of dilapidated chalets for the Board’s meetings, saying 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. “The Board considered all these actions as gross financial misconducts and a clandestine cover-up by the DG who bestrode ASCON like an empress,” they alleged.