BREAKING: Tinubu sacks senior government official (ICOH boss), names replacement

President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Sani Auwalu Balarabe from his position as head of the Intercountry Centre for Oral Health for Africa (ICOH).

Balarabe was reportedly dismissed on July 18 amid allegations of embezzling N1.4 billion during his tenure. President Tinubu has appointed Taiwo Olaniyi as the new chief of ICOH, replacing Balarabe.

In January, the House of Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Ministry of Health, and other government agencies received numerous petitions urging an investigation into alleged financial misconduct at ICOH under Balarabe’s leadership. The petitioners claimed that Balarabe did not engage in any research activities while leading ICOH, despite the centre receiving hundreds of millions of naira in funding.

“Despite all these budgetary allocations, the centre has refused to produce a single oral health research, which is the centre’s core mandate and the reason for its establishment,” the petition dated January 16 stated, which also stressed that projects commenced under Mr Balarabe’s leadership were allegedly never completed.

“Construction of remodelled dental clinic, construction of remodelled administration block, procurement of project vehicles,” according to the petition, cost the ICOH over N700 million,“ yet there isn’t anything to show for the money expended.”

Mr Balarabe allegedly backdated the letters of appointment for new staff and paid them salary arrears to cover for some of ICOH’s expenses, but the petition alleged he secretly asked the employees to “remit the money back” to a designated account.