By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives Committee on Disability Matters has announced plans to investigate the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) over allegations of corruption and procurement irregularities.
The decision followed complaints by stakeholders who alleged that some procurement activities and projects executed by the commission may have been inflated, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in the agency’s operations.
One of the stakeholders, Abdullahi Ibrahim, accused the commission of inflating project costs and undermining trust within the disability community.
“It is worrisome that the National Disability Commission is becoming the headquarters of corruption in the disability community,” Ibrahim said.
He cited a procurement involving Point-of-Sale (POS) machines, alleging that the contract value was significantly exaggerated.
“How can a disability commission pay about N97 million for 101 POS machines?” he asked.
Responding to the allegations, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Ayuba Burki Gufwan, said his administration had already taken steps to address procurement irregularities discovered after he assumed office in August 2024.
Gufwan explained that the commission’s Procurement Tenders Board reviewed several contracts awarded by the previous management and declared them illegal.
“Those contracts were revoked and a new process was initiated,” he said.
He also disclosed that the commission has begun decentralising its operations by establishing regional offices in Plateau, Bauchi, Abia and Oyo states to cover four geopolitical zones.
“Our goal is to decentralize operations and bring services closer to persons with disabilities,” Gufwan said.
The committee however note that the investigation is aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability and improved service delivery for millions of Nigerians living with disabilities.
