By Editor
A formal whistleblower complaint has been filed against Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), alleging widespread corruption, favoritism, and systemic abuse of office under his leadership.
The petition, reportedly submitted by the Northern Peace Foundation for Good Governance and made available to the media, details a range of alleged administrative violations that, according to the whistleblower, have severely undermined meritocracy, fairness, and institutional integrity within the NMDPRA since 2022.
Central to the complaint are accusations of biased and selective staff promotions in contravention of the Federal Character principle. The whistleblower claims that several staff members have been promoted based on personal relationships rather than qualifications or performance.
“Promotions between 2022 to date must be urgently reviewed and investigated,” the petition stated, alleging that some staff were elevated without sitting for mandatory exams or meeting the required years of service.
The petition also accused the NMDPRA leadership of arbitrarily altering promotion criteria to favour select candidates. It cited irregularities in the administration of computer-based tests (CBTs), including delayed and non-transparent release of results, often via text message days after the exams.
“Some promotion histories were even retroactively adjusted under the guise of correcting entry errors,” the complaint alleged.
Another serious claim is that officials with known records of corruption are being shielded and rewarded with desirable postings, accelerated promotions, and foreign training opportunities. The whistleblower warned that such practices encourage a culture where unethical conduct is not only tolerated but incentivized.
The complaint further pointed to inequities in staff development opportunities. Training programs, it said, are neither tailored to job relevance nor fairly distributed, often skewed in favour of individuals from specific legacy institutions that formed the NMDPRA.
“There is clear bias in staff selection for training and job assignments, while seniority and commitment to duty are routinely ignored,” the petition added.
Most alarming, according to the whistleblower, is the alleged absence of a functioning organogram—an essential organizational framework required by the Act establishing the NMDPRA. The complaint claims this omission is a deliberate strategy to maintain opacity and consolidate power among a select few within the management.
“The current leadership structure is opaque, allowing unchecked corruption and manipulation of roles,” it alleged.
The petition concluded with a call on the Federal Government and anti-corruption agencies to immediately investigate the operations of the NMDPRA under Engr. Ahmed. “If the government is serious about transforming the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, it must rescue NMDPRA from its current leadership,” it stated.
As of the time of filing this report, Engr. Farouk Ahmed and the management of the NMDPRA have not publicly responded to the allegations.
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