Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secret Reporters
Mandated with a task of carrying out forensic audit from 2001 till date, the Ag Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Joi Nunieh may have to prove her forensic skills with an NYSC forgery scandal dangling over her head having spent just three months in office as sources in the commission squealed that the heat over her eligibility to head the NDDC is gradually building up.
SecretReporters learnt that though as a practice, all appointees of critical government institutions are under obligation to submit their credentials to the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) for proper vetting and confirmation before officially resuming duties, but some slacks were cut for the acting NDDC Boss Joi Nunieh as she allegedly could not present a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.
According to sources in the know, when the Federal Government in August last year announced the appointment of a new Board for the NDDC, all the nominees were invited to the FIB Headquarters in Garki, Abuja for vetting in line with practice. Joi Nunieh who was then the nominee as State Representative for Rivers State with other Board Nominees reported to the FIB office on the 5th of September 2019 where they were requested to submit copies of their educational qualifications including NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.
With an already hatched tactics and the alleged tacit support of a top Government Official who has been protecting her from inception, Joi pleaded with the Bureau to be allowed to go home to bring her NYSC discharge certificate as required claiming that she did not have it with her. Deviously, she never returned and till date, the certificate was never provided for vetting same sources disclosed.
Her actions we learnt from investigations may not be unconnected with allegations that she has been fraudulently parading a fake NYSC discharge certificate over the years, and may now be afraid of providing the document for scrutiny.
Meanwhile, a civil society group, Transparency & Integrity Crusaders, have called on the President to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to commence a holistic investigation and prosecute Joi Nunieh for forgery.
The civil society has since vowed to mobilize a nationwide protest to demand the immediate removal of the Acting MD whose case they say cannot be different from a similar incidence involving a former Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun whose non-possession of a valid NYSC discharge certificate resulted in her removal from office.
Dr Joi Nunieh did not pick calls from our newsroom when contacted for her reaction to the allegation, she did not also reply to SMS sent to her via her mobile number 080*****444.
