The Administrative panel of Inquiry constituted in November to investigate the corruption allegations against Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, the suspended Director-General of Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recommended his dismissal. The panel which was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun is headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse.
The panel in its report further recommended that Gwarzo should refund the sum of N104.85 million which he allegedly approved and received as severance package while still in office.
The report which had since been forwarded to the Minister of Finance also advised that the suspended DG should be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Excerpt of the report reads
“Mr. Mounir Gwarzo should be referred to the ICPC for further investigation of the allegation of using his position as director-general to influence the award of contracts to Outbound Investments Limited in view of the provisions of Sections 57 (12) (b) and 58 (5) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
“Gwarzo should be dismissed from the public service of the Federal Government, in line with the PSR 030402 (in relation to the allegation on golden handshake), having breached paragraphs 313 and 316(4) of the Financial Regulations (Government Notice No. 219 of October 27, 2009) (engaging in extra-budgetary expenditure without appropriate approval).
“Should be discharged on the allegations of award of contracts to Medusa Investments Limited; award of contracts to other companies as mentioned in paragraph 5.1.1 and to which no relationship with Mr. Mounir Gwarzo was sufficiently established.”
The panel called on the federal government to re-orientate public servants to the very fact that the public service rules and financial regulations were ground norms of every government service contract, be it at the federal, state or local government level.
“Accordingly, all government extra-ministerial departments and agencies should be made to understand that the PSR and FR are superior to whatever specific legislation and domestic arrangements that guide their operations, except when such issues are not covered by any provision of the PSR,” it added.
