The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has called on the African
Development Bank to “demonstrate Pan Africanism and defend their
internal due process mechanisms for addressing whistle blower
complaints.”
This is contained in a statement made available to
Nairalaw (TNL) dated 28th day of May, 2020 and signed by
its President, Emeka J. P. Obegolu, FCIArb, FICMC
Chief Emeka Obegolu advised the bank “not be distracted from
their focal mission which is to fight poverty and improve living
conditions on the continent through promoting the investment of
public and private capital in projects and programs that are likely
to contribute to the economic and social development of the
region.”
He said the rejection by the United States of America of plans
by the African Development Bank’s Board to end an investigation
into its president, Akinwumi Adesina, and called for an independent
probe into allegations against him is “unfortunate and
regrettable”
He said “…the intervention by the US Treasury, the AfDB’s
biggest non-African shareholder, comes two weeks after the Ethics
Committee of the Board of Directors had examined all the
allegations of the whistleblower and dismissed all as baseless and
unsubstantiated.
PALU notes, with satisfaction, that in compliance with the internal
procedure and rules and regulations of the bank, the Board Chairman
reviewed the Ethichs Committee report and following which he
concurred with the report and exonerated Dr. Adesina of all the
allegations.”
He calls on “the Board of the Bank to reject the call for an
‘independent investigation’ of the President as such is clearly
outside the laid down rules, procedures and governing system of the
bank and its articles as it relates to the Code of Conduct on
Ethics for the President.”
According to PALU, it is “simple adherence to global best
practices in governance to uphold the Rule of Law and respect the
governance systems of the bank. Since those processes were duly
followed it is unheard of for the rules to be changed because
someone does not like the outcome.”
PALU therefore called on “all National and Continental leaders
in Africa to resist undue interference in the governance systems of
the African development Bank as it is an ill wind that will blow no
good and is capable of derailing one of the best performing
institutions on the continent.”
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has called on the African
Development Bank to “demonstrate Pan Africanism and defend their
internal due process mechanisms for addressing whistle blower
complaints.”
This is contained in a statement made available to
Nairalaw (TNL) dated 28th day of May, 2020 and signed by
its President, Emeka J. P. Obegolu, FCIArb, FICMC
Chief Emeka Obegolu advised the bank “not be distracted from
their focal mission which is to fight poverty and improve living
conditions on the continent through promoting the investment of
public and private capital in projects and programs that are likely
to contribute to the economic and social development of the
region.”
He said the rejection by the United States of America of plans
by the African Development Bank’s Board to end an investigation
into its president, Akinwumi Adesina, and called for an independent
probe into allegations against him is “unfortunate and
regrettable”
He said “…the intervention by the US Treasury, the AfDB’s
biggest non-African shareholder, comes two weeks after the Ethics
Committee of the Board of Directors had examined all the
allegations of the whistleblower and dismissed all as baseless and
unsubstantiated.
PALU notes, with satisfaction, that in compliance with the internal
procedure and rules and regulations of the bank, the Board Chairman
reviewed the Ethichs Committee report and following which he
concurred with the report and exonerated Dr. Adesina of all the
allegations.”
He calls on “the Board of the Bank to reject the call for an
‘independent investigation’ of the President as such is clearly
outside the laid down rules, procedures and governing system of the
bank and its articles as it relates to the Code of Conduct on
Ethics for the President.”
According to PALU, it is “simple adherence to global best
practices in governance to uphold the Rule of Law and respect the
governance systems of the bank. Since those processes were duly
followed it is unheard of for the rules to be changed because
someone does not like the outcome.”
PALU therefore called on “all National and Continental leaders
in Africa to resist undue interference in the governance systems of
the African development Bank as it is an ill wind that will blow no
good and is capable of derailing one of the best performing
institutions on the continent.”