Our attention has been drawn to a sustained campaign of falsehood and distortion of facts aimed at discrediting the person and competence of Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, Director of Economic Research and Policy Management in the Federal Ministry of Finance who is an illustrious and hardworking son of the Federal Capital Territory.
This campaign is anchored by Premium Times, a so-called investigative medium which is being used as a tool by faceless and cowardly persons to attack the reputation of a brilliant young man with a strong track record of performance in both the public and private sectors.
But we are certain that Premium Times and its sponsors will fail in their evil campaign because “The truth shall prevail”.
In its baseless and malicious reports, Premium Times, under the guise of “investigative journalism”, had alleged that Gabriel Aduda is undeserving of his position as a Director in the Federal Civil Service because:
· The only work experience he has is his work with PHCN
· That he is only privileged because he is the son of the current senator representing the FCT
· As well as alleged failure of some exam while in the employ of the EFCC amongst others.
The allegations are false and without any substance whatsoever as these facts show:
· Aduda has NEVER been a staff of PHCN.
· The Senator representing the FCT is his immediate elder brother
· GTA voluntarily resigned from the EFCC after 4 years of meritorious service.
· It is also on record that he emerged one of the top performers in the recruitment process that led to his current appointment.
· This was not unexpected. At the age of 29 in 2009, Gabriel Aduda had been appointed a Commissioner (Executive Member) of ICPC by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a position in which he served competently for four years.
As those familiar with his antecedents and pedigree would confirm, GTA is a worthy professional who has left deep and positive footprints in all the organisations and initiatives that he has been part of. He is, without any doubt, a high performer and achiever eminently qualified for his current position in the Federal Civil Service.
The following is just a sample from his academic, intellectual and professional track record:
A TRACK RECORD OF OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
· Gabriel Aduda is a Good Governance, Compliance and Ethics and Anticorruption practitioner with wide ranging experience in the public, private and civil society sectors. His experience working in diverse sectors and with international development partners in Nigeria equips him with an exceptional aptitude for working with and meeting the expectations of diverse stakeholders.
· He has been involved with promoting clean and accountable governance in Nigeria ever since graduation from the University of Ibadan with a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning in 1998. He has over time acquired Certificates in Econometrics Time series Analysis from Alexander Brookes Associates UK; Certificate in Corruption Risk Assessment from the UNDP Virtual School; Post Graduate Certificate in Corruption Studies from the Hong Kong University; others include certificates in Mastering Competitive and Blue Ocean Strategy, Pan African University- Lagos Business School; Procurement of Goods and Services, SETYM International; Democracy and Good Governance from Marquette University Les Aspin Centre for Government, Washington DC and Advanced Leadership Training from the prestigious Haggai Institute, Hawaii, USA.
· In 2000 at the age of 29 Gabriel Aduda was appointed a commissioner (executive member) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a position he held and excelled in for over four years. He had earlier served as Research Officer, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; Research Officer Nigeria Building and Roads Research Institute and Programs Officer at the Institute for Human Settlement and Environment (IHSE), Ibadan.
· In Feb 2005 he was appointed Head of Governance Research and Consulting at the INTEGRITY Organisation GTE (one of the most prestigious Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria) where he was responsible for projects sourcing, development and planning; publishing high quality, value adding, independent research on government institutions and anticorruption aimed at building capacity for enhanced governance and service delivery.
· In 2007 He was appointed Special Assistant on Special Projects & MDGs to the Minister of the FCTA where he was responsible for Projects identification through Participatory Rural Appraisals; Management and supervision of project implementation; Observance of due process in procurement of MDG projects and ensuring standards, quality and value for money in projects implementation.
· In Feb 2009 he moved over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as Head of Strategy and Reorientation, where he was responsible for creating public awareness and promoting public abhorrence of the evils of corruption, economic and financial crimes, fostering public support for EFCC’s activities and providing effective corruption prevention services to citizen groups, public and private sector organisations. He secured annual UNDP funding for the organisation in multiples of millions of Naira.
· He has undertaken consultancy and project management services with the World Bank, European Union (SRIP), USAID, DFID, UNDP and BPSR amongst many others in the areas of advocacy for social action, public financial management, democracy and good governance, judicial integrity, anticorruption, research and reports writing.
We believe it was in recognition of all these and much more that the Federal Government of Nigeria even when he voluntarily resigned his appointment with the EFCC, went after him to come back and further add value to public service delivery, thereby appointing him a Director in the Service. Suffice it to say that the process of recruitment into his present position was indeed rigorous as required by law and assurance of due process. He went through the interview that was conducted and chaired by the erudite and very articulate Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Deaconess Oni alongside her commissioners, where it is gathered he did exceedingly well, topping the chart amongst all that were interviewed along with him. During the induction and assessment at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, it was further said that he stood out in all categories of assessment. The records and facts are there to speak for themselves.
COMMITTEES HE HAS SERVED ON
He has served on several prestigious committees in Nigeria including;
· Member: Expert Group Meeting On Promoting the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) as a Framework to Mainstream Anti-corruption Safeguards for the Organisation of Major Public Events. Vienna, Austria, 2012. UNODC
· Member – Technical Team on FCT MDG LGA Conditional Grant Scheme, 2007. MFCT
· Member – Government/Civil Society Organisations Partnership Steering Committee. World Bank/NOA
· Member – Task Force on Revalidation of Mining Leases and Licenses (Ministry for Solid Minerals Development) September 2005 – March 2006. World Bank
· Member – Ethics Curriculum Planning/Development Committee on Code of Conduct for Court Employees in Nigeria. April 2002 – May 2003. NCSC/USAID
· Member – Advisory Committee on Judicial Reforms, (Budget Sub-Committee) National Council for State Courts (Nigeria Rule of Law Assistance Project) 2003-2005. NCSC/USAID
PUBLICATIONS TO HIS CREDIT
Gabriel Tanimu Aduda is also an astute reader and writer on value adding issues in the society. His publications/edited works include amongst others:
· Good Governance and Public Procurement: An Appraisal of Public Procurement Mechanisms in Nigeria. Pillars of Governance series Volume 4. Integrity Abuja. 2008
· Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (Due Process): A Mechanism for Combating Corruption in Infrastructure Delivery in Nigeria. WEDC Loughborough University UK 2007
· Fiscal Transparency and Participation in the Budget Process in Nigeria. “Pillars of Governance Series” Volume 3, Integrity, Abuja. 2005
· Access to Justice in Lagos State. “Pillars of Governance Series” Volume 2. Integrity, Abuja. 2005
· The Cost of Corruption in the Development and Management of the City in Nigeria in Dolapo, A et al (Ed). The City in Nigeria. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife 2002
We are very proud of the achievements of Gabriel Tanimu Aduda who stands far taller than many of his contemporaries and we pray that God will yet take him to greater heights in life and service to our dear fatherland, Nigeria.
The Federal Capital Territory has for so many years been marginalised in almost every sphere of human development. The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan deserves commendation for recognising the need to integrate competent sons and daughters of the FCT into the system. We are proud that a deserving son of the FCT has been given an opportunity to contribute to national development. We shall therefore resist this sponsored effort to tarnish the reputation of GTA not just because he is our son but because, given his antecedents and track record, it is the right thing to do.
COMMITTEE OF FCT FEDERAL APPOINTEES
Amb. Ayuba Jacob Ngbako, Executive Director EMS Chairman
Alhaji Alhassan Sokodabo, Commissioner FCT/Niger FCSC, Secretary.
