N280m Saga: Oborevwori suspend Agric Commissioner, Perez Omoun, PS, others

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has ordered for the immediate suspension of the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Perez Omoun and the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah, over alleged finicial infractions.

Recall that Saharareporters had reported that Mr. Perez Omoun, Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah and workers in the ministry allegedly transfered N280 million meant for agricultural programmes to a private account.

According to the report, the money was transferred into the private account of Engineer Oki in trenches of N100 million, then N80 million and the third tranche was N100 million making the a total of N280 million.

In response to concerns raised during the review of the Greenhouse project’s implementation, Governor Elder Sheriff Oborevwori constituted a seven-member committee, led by Dr. Kingsley Emu, to investigate alleged infractions.

And as a result, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Omoun Perekebena Perez, has been suspended, and key officials are placed on compulsory leave to facilitate an unbiased investigation, according to statement from the Secretary to the State Government.

According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, that “consequent upon the interim report of the committee and in other to have an unimpeded access to information during the period of the investigations, the Governor, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff F.O Oborevwori has approved the immediate suspension of Hon. Omoun Perekebena Perez, Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, while Messrs Bennett Ezon-Abode Agamah, Permanent Secretary; Engr. Oki Preowei Yintareke, Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering and Mr. Gabriel Idiatacheko, Chief Accountant are to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with Civil Service extant rules.

The statement further added that the “government’s action is in no way a presumption of guilt but rather a necessary measure to uphold the sanctity of the investigative processes already instituted which is to ensure that the investigation is conducted without any potential for undue influence or bias.”