Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
A director of Special Duties at the National Population Commission (NPC), Gazzali Salisu Buhari, has been found to be securing federal contracts for his private company, Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd in violation of code of conduct for civil servants. This revelation has raised serious concerns about ethical standards and legal compliance within Nigerian federal institutions.
The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act explicitly prohibits government officials from owning or managing private companies while employed as full-time staff, with the sole exception being businesses within the farming sector. This legislation aims to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that public officials remain dedicated to their governmental duties without personal financial interests influencing their decisions.
Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd, a private unlimited company, was incorporated in Kano, Nigeria, on November 1, 2011, with the registration number RC 990779. The company’s registered office is located at No. 4, Hadeija Road, Kano. The directors listed include Zainab Usman Mohammed and Gazzali Salisu Buhari.
Even though the status is “active”, Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd has been actively involved in securing numerous lucrative contracts from various federal agencies, raising questions about the nature of its operations and compliance with federal regulations.
On December 31, 2019, the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) Headquarters awarded a contract to Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd worth ₦55,036,888.37. On March 12, 2024, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Commission awarded a contract to Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd valued at ₦35,865,933.59 for the construction of a UBEC junior secondary/vocational school, which included the installation of a borehole, furnishing, and provision of equipment for phone repairs and electrical wiring. On February 23, 2024, the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute in Lagos made a payment of ₦52,258,772.64 to CRYSTALITE HEIGHTS NIG. LTD for the installation of solar street lights in Zango/Baure, Katsina State, as per contract BRRI/2022/S.242/1/PG 26. On June 7, 2021, the Federal Fire Service awarded a contract to Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd worth ₦46,158,700.00 for the supply of 427 jerry-cans of F-500 encapsulator agent to the FFS Zonal Command in Lagos, under the contract FMI/FFS/STB/CP/2021/EP/V.I/032 as part of first-quarter capital releases. On June 1, 2019, the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) Headquarters awarded a contract to Crystalite Heights Nig. Ltd valued at ₦82,898,916.57 for skill acquisition training and the empowerment of youths and women in vocational skills in Baure, Katsina State.
NPC, where Gazzali Salisu Buhari serves as a director on special duties, is established under Section 153 (J) of the Nigerian Constitution. The NPC is empowered to undertake periodic population enumerations through censuses and surveys, maintain continuous birth and death registrations across Nigeria, advise the President on population matters, and publish data to aid economic and development planning. The Commission also appoints and trains enumerators.
Additionally, the NPC prepares and maintains a national framework for census and survey delineations, collects and publishes migration data, researches and monitors the national population policy, and educates the public on its functions. The NPC coordinates all population sector activities. Its mission is to be Africa’s leading demographic agency, ensuring robust population quality for national transformation, and its vision is to become Nigeria’s most responsive public institution and a center of excellence in population management.
