Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development Fingered In Corruption Scandal

Secret Reporters

Contrary to the spelt-out code of conduct for Nigerian public office holders, the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD), has been found to have contravened the law.

Treasury Circular Ref. No. TRY/A2&A3/2013 OAGF/CAD/026/V.1/188 OF 9th April, 2013 states, “cash advance in excess of N200,000.00 should not be granted to any officer for procurement of goods and services but the procurement should be given out as a contract”.

Data on the govspend show that Engr. Emmanuel Ishaku Mbaya, who is the head of the Research Development & Consultancy Services Department received a payment of ₦5,793,628.48 on 31 December 2022.

According to the data, the payment was for “Arrears of outstanding balance of hazard and medical”.

Similarly, SecretReporters discovered that on the same date, the head of Mineral Processing and Refractory Department, Abdulkadir Babura Adahama received a payment of ₦5,225,008.94.

Data show that the payment was for “Arrears of outstanding balance of hazard and medical”.

In another discovery, this online media found that the parastatal also made a similar payment to one Musa Chagga Monday. According to data on the govspend, the ₦5,807,151.41 was “Arrears of outstanding balance of hazard and medical”.

It is unclear who Chagga Monday is, because he does not have an online presence, and the National Metallurgical Development Centre does not have his details on its website.

The National Metallurgical Development Centre is responsible for carrying out research and development work on solid minerals and metallurgical processes. It was established in 1973 as the Testing Laboratory of the defunct Nigerian Steel Development Authority (NSDA), to specifically handle the analyses of raw materials for the then-proposed state steel plants. It later metamorphosed into the Metallurgical Research and Tests Division of the National Steel Council, with a broader scope to carry out Research and Development activities in metallurgical processes for the benefit of the emergent steel plants after the abrogation of the Decree establishing the NSDA.

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The capacity of the Centre was considerably enhanced with the assistance of the United Nations through its UNDP/UNIDO programmes between 1981 and 1992. UNDP/UNIDO drew up a master plan to position NMDC to conduct effective research and development activities in the metallurgical and solid mineral sectors. Consequently, the scope of activities of the Centre was broadened and given a solid base to meet current demands in metallurgical and solid minerals industries.

The name National Metallurgical Development Centre was adopted in 1987 and was given legal backing by Decree No. 50 of 1992.