Obafemi Anibaba

Obafemi Anibaba
Federal Minister of Works
In office
March 2006 – September 2006
Preceded by Adeseye Ogunlewe
Succeeded by Cornelius Adebayo
Federal Minister of Communications
In office
September 2006 – January 2007
Preceded by Cornelius Adebayo
Succeeded by Frank Nweke

Obafemi Anibaba is a Nigerian civil servant and businessman who was appointed Federal Minister of Works in March 2006 and was redeployed as Minister of Communications in September 2006 during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo.[1]

Background

Obafemi Anibaba obtained a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lagos and went on to obtain a Phd. in Engineering from the University of Surrey. He worked for many years for the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Transport. He has served on the board of several companies, and was Chairman, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority and Chairman, Femo Engineering (Nigeria). He was on the board of First Bank of Nigeria, Jos Steel Rolling Company and Allied Bank of Nigeria, and was Chairman of the Governing Council of Lagos Polytechnic, Isolo.[1]

Cabinet positions

The Federal Government of Nigeria appointed him Minister of Works in March 2006. He was transferred to become Minister of Communications in September 2006.[2] He chaired the Nigeria Telecommunications Forum in Abuja on the 19–20 September 2006.[3] He opened the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) Consultative Forum on Strategies for Achieving Access in Nigeria in Lagos on October 31, 2006. In his opening remarks he noted that USPF is only a fund to facilitate roll out of services in identified rural areas. The services would be implemented through qualified operating companies.[4] On 22 November 2006 he attended a ceremony where President Olusegun Obasanjo cut the ribbon to formally open the new Corporate Headquarters of the Nigerian Communications Commission in Abuja.[5]

In January 2007, Olusegun Obasanjo announced the final cabinet reshuffle of his administration. Among other moves, Frank Nweke, Jr was appointed Federal Minister of Communications, while Anibaba stayed on as Minister of State in the Ministry, a position he held until the new administration of President Umaru Yar'Adua came into office in May 2007.[6]

Later career

In November 2009, the Senate ad hoc committee on transport led by Heineken Lokpobiri, submitted a report to the upper house that revealed "alleged serial malpractices" in road contracting over a ten-year period, and recommended that former ministers of works Anthony Anenih, Adeseye Ogunlewe, Obafemi Anibaba, Cornelius Adebayo and others be prosecuted for corruption.[7] The Senate Ad Hoc Committee charges included awarding contracts without budgetary provision, and for failure to account for profits from a large sale of bitumen.[2] Senate discussion of the report was delayed.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "BOARD OF DIRECTORS". Equipment Solutions & Logistics Services Ltd. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Armsfree Ajanaku Onomo (October 25, 2009). "Bad Roads: Shameful Faces Of A Nation". Guardian. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  3. ↑ "5th International Nigeria Telecommunications Forum" (PDF). CWC Group. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  4. ↑ "USPF Holds Consultative Forum" (PDF). Nigerian Communications Commission. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  5. ↑ "New Corporate Headquarters Commissioned by President Obasanjo" (PDF). Nigerian Communications Commission. November–December 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  6. ↑ KABIRU YUSUF (January 11, 2007). "Obasanjo reshuffles cabinet...Swears-in 6 new ministers". Daily Triumph. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Fixing Anenih and others for corruption". Next. November 8, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  8. ↑ Emmanuel Aziken (November 5, 2009). "Senate suspends N300bn contract report". Vanguard. Retrieved 2009-11-13.