Amnesty: Investigate Bribena now over non completion of Obuama project, Adioni tells EFCC

Raises alarm over other of his substandard jobs

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been called upon to immediately investigate Pst. Miebi Bribena over the abandonment of the Maritime Vocational Training Centre, Obuama in Rivers State despite the release of funds meant for its completion.

Amb. George Adioni Sinclair, Niger Delta Ex-agitators for Peace Organisation, an International Umbrella of Ex-agitators, Country Representative of the Organisation made the call yesterday in Abuja while addressing newsmen on the matter.

Amb. George had insisted that the EFCC must investigate Bribena over alleged diversion of funds for personal use meant for execution of projects in some state within the Niger Delta region from the Presidential Amnesty Office.

He had noted that the EFCC must work with the information provided by the Coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme, Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo, published on a national newspaper recently.

The amnesty office was quoted as saying: “It all started when pastor Miebi Bribena who is also an architect was awarded the contract of the construction of Oil and Gas Vocational Training Centre, Agadagba and the Maritime Vocational Training institute, Obuama simultaneously by the Kuku led Amnesty office. Pastor was mobilised 98% upfront to execute the jobs. The Agadagba centre was 60% near completion before it was stopped, but for the timely intervention of Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo on assumption of office it was completed and commissioned recently. 

“The Obuama centre was way behind schedule and abandoned with just 20% completion after the release of #2.4 billion naira for a job of such magnitude. General Boroh, Prof. Dokubo’s predecessor, was tricked into believing that it was the differential in prices, because of the prevailing inflation, that was delaying the job; the balance of funds were released for him to complete the job, Pastor Miebi Bribena did not go to site and diverted the money for his personal use. On assumption of office, Prof. Dokubo called up the Obuama file and was shocked at the discrepancies and numbers that did not add up. Pastor Bribena was invited to clear the air, he was asking for differential in prices again, which was seen as an absurdity. The amount he quoted as differential was equivalent to the original amount quoted for the job , coupled with the fact that, he was incoherent and belligerent in his responses. A team was sent to Obuama to evaluate what has been done and was shell-shocked on the state of the structure. The findings were quite revealing:

 “1) The foundation of the Obuama centre was good but the superstructure was an admixture of substandard and standard materials, e.g. blocks, columns were of substandard materials among others.

“2) The N2.4 billion naira released for the project was not commensurate with the level of work done. 3) Building materials were diverted for personal use 4) Pastor Bribena was busy building houses for some stakeholders in the Niger Delta in order to buy them over in the event of any discovery of shortcomings in the execution of the Obuama project. Those mouths have been sealed since the Obuama project scam came up. 

“5) The community secondary school Obuama only source of recreation-the football field–was damaged when trucks bearing building materials rode on the field. Pastor Miebi Bribena is yet to take responsibility for this damage.

“6) Experts feel the building might collapse under immense pressure of human movement sooner than expected. 

“7) Hostels and staff quarters have not been built.

 “8 The jetty for the Maritime institute has not been built among others. 

“9) The 165 feet deep well for deep sea diving training has not being built among other ancillaries.

“10) Accusations of impropriety were also made against pastor Miebi Bribena by some indigenes of Obuama who did business with him. Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo was not comfortable with the findings and other unethical developments and decided to put everything on hold on pastor Miebi Bribena’s request for more money. 

“This was the beginning of Pastor Miebi Bribena’s running battle with the Amnesty office. He enlisted the services of the director of finance and account in the amnesty office, Mr. Ilem Ukam to cause problem in the Niger Delta region with the aim of heating up the polity which invariably will lead to the removal of Prof. Dokubo as the amnesty office boss. Video and audio recordings of pastor Miebi Bribena verbally insulting Prof. Dokubo were made to go viral. 

“To add salt to injury, Bribena has been bragging to all who would listen that he single-handedly removed General Boroh, Prof. Charles Dokubo will go in like manner, then a Special Adviser on Niger Delta and coordinator of the amnesty of his choice will be chosen.

 “i) Pastor Bribena was so privileged to have been given three choice contracts to build three training centres in Ondo, Rivers and Bayelsa respectively; these centres all have issues of non-completion with severe structural defects. The Oil and Gas vocational training centre, Agadagba was remedied by Prof. Charles Dokubo on assumption of office and consequently commissioned to be put to use. The Maritime Vocational Training Centre, Obuama has been abandoned but funds were provided.

“ii) The reason Miebi Bribena could not complete these projects, most especially the Maritime vocational training institute, Obuama, Rivers state, was due largely to his insatiable desire for money and power. 

“iii) The youths of the region should hold Miebi Bribena accountable for the non-completion of the Maritime vocational training centre, Obuama in Rivers state. One man has decided to derail the hard earned peace progress in the region, in order to feed his ego, and greed. His children attend Ivy League schools abroad and the institute that would help transform the children of less-privileged in the region has been abandoned by Pastor Miebi Bribena. PRAYERS Without much ado, we call on the office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to call Pastor Bribena to order through constitutional means. It is either he finishes the project at Obuama or face the wrath of the aggrieved Niger Delta youths.”