Task Force on Human Trafficking: Group vows to resist fraudulent activities of Prof. Omorogbe

By Angela James,

The Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) has vowed to resist alleged fraudulent activities of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State and Chairman, Task Force on Human Trafficking, Edo State, Prof Yinka Omorogbe in the disbursement of founds meant for NGO’s in the State.

 BSM in as statement signed by the group’s President, Curtis Eghosa Ugbo and made available to Advocate in Benin, accused Prof. Omorogbe, Mr David Ugolor and others of using their proxy NGO’s in siphoning about  £7.5m about N3b from international donor agencies for the funding of NGO’s activities in Edo state.

Ugbo also accused Prof.Omorogbe using her office to influence the donor agencies to believe that it was the state governor who said Edo woman should head the project, noting that her lies will soon cut up with her.

Ugbo stressed that Prof. Omorogbe never considered several NGOs in Edo State who have been working in the field of human trafficking for over 20 years with proven tracks record but instead she nominated her friend, Dr. Esohe who is based in Canada to come to Benin to short change more competent and reliable NGO’s who would have done and can do better jobs in this regard.

“This act to us is corruption in the highest order; also it is abuse of office and misuse of British taxpayers’ money.

“The questions that demand answers from Prof Yinka Omorogbe are as follows;
We want to know what modality that was used in awarding the contract of £7.5 million GBPounds that is currently been shared by Prof. Yinka Omorogbe of Edo State Task Force against human trafficking, Rev David Ugolor and Dr Esohe?

“Why is it that David Ugolor NGO-ANEEJ and Dr. Esohe who is the Executive Member of Edo Women Development Initiative which Prof. Yinka Omorogbe is a board member, are the NGO’s that got the contract of using the controversial £7.5m? Are they now the only NGO’s existing in Edo State?

“Our worry now is ANEEJ and Edo Women Development Initiative (EDI) are INTER-RELATED and they share same office complex with the supposed monitoring agency nominated to oversee this project in Edo State and as such, are not supposed to be a party to the implementation of this project at all ” he enthused.

While calling on Edo State to urgently review the project in the interest of fairness, equity, transparency and justice, Ugbo maintained that more capable hand who knows the job of anti human trafficking should be involved instead of giving it to neophyte that has no knowledge about the project.

However, in a swift reaction, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe in a telephone chat with Advocate declared that there was no iota of truth in the BSM’s claims, maintaining that BSM should approach the public domain with the evidence of their claims even as she urged Edo people to disregard the allegation.