…Sacks Mamman Ahmadu, BPP DG
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ayodeji Gbeleyi as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
The new DG BPE has over 30 years of post-qualification experience in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), investment & commercial banking, project finance, telecommunications, infrastructure, and public administration.
Gbeleyi is a renowned financial expert and award-winning chartered accountant. He is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).
He is also an alumnus of executive programmes of the prestigious London Business School, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and Lagos Business School.
He was the board Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and Commissioner of Finance in Lagos State from 2013 to 2015.
According to a statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President said he expected the new Director-General to bring his vast experience and competence to bear in this role to strengthen the agency as the national resource centre for capacity building and sustenance of reforms through the promotion of a competitive private sector-driven economy, ensuring social accountability and efficient deployment of public resources, as well as advancing effective corporate governance and fiduciary discipline in the public and private sectors.
In a related development, President Tinubu has initiated a major overhaul of the country’s public procurement system by directing the resignation of the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mamman Ahmadu.
His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed in a statement that the directive was part of a broader effort to enhance efficiency and transparency within the agency.
As part of the reorganization, Ahmadu was ordered to hand over his responsibilities to the most senior officer in the Bureau until a new Director-General is appointed.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to Ahmadu who was appointed in 2016 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.
The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) had filed suit number (FHC/ABJ/CS/1056/2023), contesting the appointment’s legality. The group had argued that Ahmadu’s selection by former President Muhammadu Buhari violated the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
NEFGAD sought a court order declaring the appointment illegal and demanding the return of all salary and benefits received by Mr. Ahmadu since his appointment.