By Uyi Amadin Joseph
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) was established in February, 2000 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It’s objective is primarily a research centre, a think-tank and an agency to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for the promotion of peace, conflict prevention, management and resolution.
Special investigation has revealed that the institute in the last few months has become a national shame and been filled with pervasive rot thus it’s failure to fulfill its mandate and objectives as prescribed by its setup aim and objectives.
The alarm bells began to ring when there were accusations that Nigeria’s First lady Dame Patience Jonathan had taken over the facility hosting the institute at its central area office in Abuja. This happened prior to the first lady’s international conference for first ladies of fellow African countries recently held in the nations federal capital.
An investigation was carried out which revealled that initial feelers coming from the institute was only a tip on the ice berg as the management of the institute under Dr. Joseph Golwa has lost focus and intentionally been gradually leading the institute astray.
A member of staff of the institute who spoke on condition of anomity however exonerated the high handedness of the office of the first lady claiming, the institute had gotten to where it is because of a failure in management.
Another member of staff was not so civil as he claimed that the rot in the institute did not start immediately but had been festering over the years. Though he disputed that the office of the first lady did not take over the whole facility and admitted that some part of the facility was taken over, He said that in fact the management invited the office of the first lady in a bid to save their face after discovering that the growing discontent among staff was becoming manifest and thus the need to attract favor from personalities in high places.
A chat with another staff who was visibly angry at how the institute had turned out revealed much more, she claimed that it is time for federal authorities to investigate the management style of the leadership, she also added that over the last few years, promotion of staff has been stalled and selective. She disclosed that there has been no training for any member of staff unless you are in the good books of Dr Joseph Golwa , who has also used promotion and retrenchment as a tool of vendetta to frustrate all that dare oppose his style of leadership.
She cited examples of some Ass. Directors and Directors that were rendered redundant and later sacked in the last few years and gave their names as Dr Ojiji and Mr Obafemi. Ojiji was demoted from Director to Ass. director and later dismissed for dare challenging the leadership style of Dr Golwa while Mr Obafemi was first rendered redundant before he was later dismissed.
She says it is time Nigerians and the federal government, hold Dr. Golwa accountable as the institute is not his private business.
While some claim that Nigeria is currently facing an insurgency war against dreaded terrorist organization BOKO Haram and others argue that finding a lasting solution to this national malaise falls under the immediate purview of the core mandate of the institute, there are many who think that a thorough reorganization is necessary by the oversighting ministry; the ministry of foreign affairs.
Auwal Rafsanjani from the Zero Corruption Coalition however thinks that the office of the first lady is culpable and maintains that the happening within the agency is a reflection of the intensity of corruption within the country.
Rafsanjani maintains that occupation of any government facility by the first lady is illegal and an abuse of public resources claiming that her office is not recognized by the Nigerian constitution. He maintains that putting the blame alone on the failure of Dr Joseph Golwa’s management is justifying an illegality.
Jaiye Gaskia from the United Action for Democracy (UAD) when commenting on the issue stated that the eviction of a statutory government agency by an NGO is not only illegally but a further demonstration of impunity of this government and manifestation of corruption at the highest level. He states that the UAD’s information on this issue reveals that even adjourning car parks of the institute were also confiscated.
Gaskia wants this impunity urgently stopped and monies spent in renovations which according to the UAD runs into the tune of billions of naira investigated. This is since the first lady’s NGO is a private organization and not owned by government.
Calls made to the mobile phone of Dr. Golwa was not answered and text messages also sent was also not replied. Investigations also revealed that in recent months he has been traveling around Africa, doing the bidding of the NGO of the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.
Uyi Amadin Joseph, an Abuja based Journalist and can be reached via amadin2000@yahoo.com