Premium Times: You Can’t Drag Gabriel Tanimu Aduda’s Name In The Mud
For someone like Gabriel Tanimu Aduda (GTA), the Director of Economic Research and Policy Management in the Federal Ministry of Finance, it never rains but it pours. This is a man who has worked assiduously over the years and rose through the ranks to be an astute manager of people and resources in both public and private sector.
With the flurry of distorted facts that are being peddled online in recent times, it clearly shows that his ascension up the managerial ladder is giving some folks working in concert with Premium Timessleepless nights. It is understandable when fellows of little value peddle falsehood, after all that's what they know how to do best.
However, it boggles the mind when a medium that prides itself as an investigative journalism medium like Premium Times will throw caution to the wind and join the show of shame of hoisting falsehood above the truth to tarnish the image of an illustrious and hardworking son of the Federal Capital Territory.
For all intents and purposes, Premium Timesmust be told that their show of shame and lending of their platform for a public charade of this magnitude can't stand the test of time. Nigerians know the truth. Nigerians are more perceptive than they think. Falsehood cannot travel so far, truth will catch up. In fact, truth has caught up!
In case you don't have the details of the falsehood, here are the details as fabricated by Premium Times:
It was alleged that GAT is unqualified to be a Director in the Federal Civil Service because:
The only work experience he has is his work with PHCN
That he is only privileged because he is the son of the current senator representing the FCT
As well as alleged failure of some exam while in the employ of the EFCC amongst others.
Indeed, these allegations are nothing but falsehood which was fabricated to tarnish the image of this great man. These allegations are without any substance whatsoever. The following facts will show how much Premium Times has become a dumping ground of falsehood:
Gabriel Tanimu Aduda (GTA) has NEVER been a staff of PHCN.
The Senator representing the FCT is his immediate elder brother
GTA voluntarily resigned from the EFCC after 4 years of meritorious service.
It is also on record that he emerged one of the top performers in the recruitment process that led to his current appointment.
This was not unexpected. At the age of 29 in 2000, Gabriel Aduda had been appointed a Commissioner (Executive Member) of ICPC by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a position in which he served competently for four years.
Gabriel Tanimu Aduda (GTA) has over the years worked hard in all positions he has held. All these positions were attained through dedication, loyalty and hard work. As those familiar with his antecedents and pedigree would confirm, GTA is a worthy professional who has left deep and positive footprints in all the organisations and initiatives that he has been part of. He is, without any doubt, a high performer and achiever eminently qualified for his current position in the Federal Civil Service.
His academic, intellectual and professional track records speak volume. Over the years, GAT has been involved with promoting clean and accountable governance in Nigeria ever since graduation from the University of Ibadan with a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning in 1998.
He has over time acquired Certificates in Econometrics Time series Analysis from Alexander Brookes Associates UK; Certificate in Corruption Risk Assessment from the UNDP Virtual School; Post Graduate Certificate in Corruption Studies from the Hong Kong University; others include certificates in Mastering Competitive and Blue Ocean Strategy, Pan African University- Lagos Business School; Procurement of Goods and Services, SETYM International; Democracy and Good Governance from Marquette University Les Aspin Centre for Government, Washington DC and Advanced Leadership Training from the prestigious Haggai Institute, Hawaii, USA.
In 2000, at the age of 29, Gabriel Aduda was appointed a commissioner (executive member) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by President Olusegun Obasanjo, a position he held and excelled in for over four years. He had earlier served as Research Officer, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; Research Officer Nigeria Building and Roads Research Institute and Programs Officer at the Institute for Human Settlement and Environment (IHSE), Ibadan.
In Feb 2005 he was appointed Head of Governance Research and Consulting at the INTEGRITY Organisation GTE (one of the most prestigious Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria) where he was responsible for project sourcing, development and planning; publishing high quality, value adding, independent research on government institutions and anticorruption aimed at building capacity for enhanced governance and service delivery.
In 2007 He was appointed Special Assistant on Special Projects & MDGs to the Minister of the FCTA where he was responsible for Projects identification through Participatory Rural Appraisals; Management and supervision of project implementation; Observance of due process in procurement of MDG projects and ensuring standards, quality and value for money in projects implementation.
In Feb 2009 he moved over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as Head of Strategy and Reorientation, where he was responsible for creating public awareness and promoting public abhorrence of the evils of corruption, economic and financial crimes, fostering public support for EFCC's activities and providing effective corruption prevention services to citizen groups, public and private sector organisations.
He secured annual UNDP funding for the organisation in multiples of millions of Naira.
He has undertaken consultancy and project management services with the World Bank, European Union (SRIP), USAID, DFID, UNDP and BPSR amongst many others in the areas of advocacy for social action, public financial management, democracy and good governance, judicial integrity, anticorruption, research and reports writing.
Looking through the foregoing of GAT's accolades, it was no surprise that the Federal Government of Nigeria even when he voluntarily resigned his appointment with the EFCC, went after him to come back and further add value to public service delivery, thereby appointing him a Director in the Service.
The process of recruitment that threw him up into his present position was of no doubt rigorous as required by law and assurance of due process.
He went through the interview that was conducted and chaired by the erudite and very articulate Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Deaconess Oni alongside her commissioners, where it is gathered he did exceedingly well, topping the chart amongst all that were interviewed along with him. During the induction and assessment at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, it was further said that he stood out in all categories of assessment. The records and facts are there to speak for themselves.
To further show that GAT is eminently qualified for this present posting, let's look at the different committees he has worked for over the years:
Member: Expert Group Meeting On Promoting the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) as a Framework to Mainstream Anti-corruption Safeguards for the Organisation of Major Public Events. Vienna, Austria, 2012. UNODC
Member - Technical Team on FCT MDG LGA Conditional Grant Scheme, 2007. MFCT
Member - Government/Civil Society Organisations Partnership Steering Committee. World Bank/NOA
Member - Task Force on Revalidation of Mining Leases and Licenses (Ministry for Solid Minerals Development) September 2005 - March 2006. World Bank
Member - Ethics Curriculum Planning/Development Committee on Code of Conduct for Court Employees in Nigeria. April 2002 - May 2003. NCSC/USAID
Member - Advisory Committee on Judicial Reforms, (Budget Sub-Committee) National Council for State Courts (Nigeria Rule of Law Assistance Project) 2003-2005. NCSC/USAID
Nigerians, the facts have come out. He deserves this present appointment. One thing is sure, amid this flurry of falsehood, GAT's light will continue to shine.