Fake presidential agency: Bureaucratic weaknesses allowed fraud to thrive – Ex-perm sec

Nigeria's bureaucratic system has significant weaknesses that could have enabled an alleged fake presidential agency to infiltrate the government, according to Goke Adeboroye, a former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Civil Service Commission. His comments follow the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission's (ICPC) discovery of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

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The exposure of that fake presidential agency is a major lapse to say that somebody can actually come into the system, get in on the budget, get offices, and all of that.

The ICPC stated that the PFIPC operated with forged appointment letters and official documents, lacking any legal basis. Its alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Matthew, was reportedly never appointed by the Federal Government. During its investigation, the ICPC also uncovered the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which was allegedly operating illegitimately within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Adeboroye expressed concern over how an individual could allegedly gain access to the government system, secure an appointment, access budgetary provisions, and obtain office space without detection. He pointed to the bureaucratic capacity of key presidential offices, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Chief of Staff, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, as areas needing strengthening. He believes these bureaucracies must be capable enough to help the President implement policies efficiently while providing necessary checks against fraudulent directives.

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The bureaucracy in those offices are not strong enough to be able to help the President drive the vision at the speed and with the efficiency that he wants.

Furthermore, Adeboroye highlighted the crucial relationship between political office holders and career civil servants. While political appointees issue directives, he stressed that civil servants must possess the professional competence and integrity to question instructions that deviate from established procedures. He stated, "The political office holders are principals to the bureaucracy, and a lot of times, the bureaucracy takes directives from them. You need a bureaucracy that is not just professional but also has the capacity. The commitment to the system is also driven by his own or her own personal integrity."

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The political office holders are principals to the bureaucracy, and a lot of times, the bureaucracy takes directives from them. You need a bureaucracy that is not just professional but also has the capacity. The commitment to the system is also driven by his own or her own personal integrity.