Agunloye who is being probed by the EFCC over alleged economic crimes committed against NeGst maintained his hands were clean.
But EFCC sources insisted that the charges against Agunloye were well documented and had merit.
According to the documents, Agunloye also on one occasion traveled abroad at the invitation and sponsorship of the United Nations. On his return however, the former Minister for Power and Steel was said to have gone to the NeGst to collect every dime he spent abroad although the UN had picked up the bill.
But in Abuja Tuesday, Agunloye continued to maintain his innocence. He said the Board of the NeGst Limited would meet next week to consider reports of two committees, which the agency constituted to look into some of the complaints and allegations raised against him.
He said: "I aver that the entire 13 allegations of Otunba Obada are never true in every sense and particular. Otunba Obada has been circulating the same 13-point allegations since October 2005 and the Board of the national e-Government Strategies Limited had met and referred the issues to a special Board of committee.
"Dr. Obada himself faced the panel on the 25th January 2006. The Chairman of the Board had since sent notices for the Board meeting next week to discuss the committee reports.
I am aware of the dangers such a circulation poses to the private sector investment and the viability of this laudable project and I have thus studiously refrained from circulating my response so as not to further jeopardize the investments of shareholders and integrity of this company.
"Indeed, there are very good reasons to protect the Government project because it has as a matter of fact, blossomed to genuine roll-out stage under my management with the finalisation of telemedicine, e-Registration, e-Trade. As at now, 26 ministries Departments and Agencies at all tiers of Government have given go ahead to participate in the e-Government," Agunloye said.
NITDA sources, whose D-G is the chairman of the e-Govt project said the panel set up to look into the allegations raised by Obada against Agunloye had not been able to take a stand but had rather continued to appeal to Obada to forgive Agunloye so that the e-Govt project would move forward.
The source added that Obada had however continue to insist that Agunloye, because he has had his hands soiled must resign so as to instill investors confidence in the project.
Other individual investors including Mrs. Giwa, the widow of the late former Lever Brothers boss, sources further said, has continued to plead that peace be given a chance. However these also do not want their investments in the e-Government project become a waste.
With the involvement of the EFCC in the matter, analysts are of the view that the e-Government project which had been stagnated as a result of the crisis would soon either move forward or forever be discontinued.
Autor: Onwuka Nzeshi
Quelle: This Day, 08.02.2006
