Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson
Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown Ex-DG Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency
DG Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency, Irene Ebiere Musah
Things are beginning to fall apart at the Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency (BSTDA), and the way it is happening, the centre may not hold any longer as the newly appointed Director General of the agency, Ebiere Irene Musah, is set to probe the tenure of her predecessor, Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown, who is now the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House.
Ndiomu-Brown was promoted to her new post late last year while Musah was made her successor.
According to inside sources, the two women were the best of friends so much that Ndiom-Brown practically went everywhere with Musah and many were uncomfortable when she (Musah) was made the boss of the Agency over and above other more qualified staff members that had worked in the less than three- year old organisation.
It was insinuated that Ndiomu-Brown was behind the appointment of Musah just to cover her tracks. However, that is not the case anymore as what Ndiomu-Brown wanted ‘covered’ is being exposed.
First, Musah is said to have been probing to know why the second edition of the Bayelsa International Jazz Festival which was held for the first time in 2013 and which featured the like of South Africa’s Hugh Masekela and Femi Anikulapo-Kuti held without Eklugh despite the fact that his performance fee of $80,000 was paid in full.
Nigerian NewsDirect also learnt that she had been going through the books to know if the money Ndiomu-Brown claimed to have spent on all the events like African Movie Academy Award (AMAA), African Fashion Reception, Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria (MBGN), Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) Award among others, held during her tenure were actually spent.
What sparked off this was the claim by a Lagos-based musician/producer, Wole Oni, who took to the press alleging that the Agency was owing him N2 million for the job he did during the tenure of Ndiomu-Brown. Though, Ndiomu-Brown had through her media spokesperson, Mr. Thomas Peretu, denied owing Oni, he explained that the agency contracted by BON to organise the award was the one owing the man.
“We did not organise the award for BON; BON did their thing their own way. We only hosted it and gave BON directly, the money they needed to organise it. How they did it we do not know and it is wrong for Oni or anybody for that matter, to go to the press claiming that we owe him,” Peretu who has since moved to Government House with his boss reportedly told the press when the issue broke out.
But to the new boss of BSTDA, that explanation does not hold water as she is said to have done a detailed report on the issue alongside that of the performance fee paid to the American jazz musician who failed to show up for the concert and forwarded to the office of the governor of the state Seriake Dickson.
“Her belief is that the American musician was not contracted let alone paid such a huge amount in dollars. That if the musician was paid and failed to show up what effort was made to recover the money from the musician. She strongly believes that Ndiomu-Brown pocketed the money or that those who acted as the middlemen between the tourism agency and the musician died the money,” our source said.
Culled-Newsdirectonline
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