Stephen Ogenga Reinstated as NITA Boss by Court
The National Industrial Training Authority’s Director General, Stephen Ogenga, has been reinstated by a high court.
Ogenga was suspended from his position by Chairman Nita Aden Noor Ali on November 24, 2023.
The prohibition was implemented following an inquiry conducted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The commission was investigating claims of procurement misconduct in the tender process for supplying, delivering, installing, commissioning, training, servicing, maintaining, and repairing sewing and training machines at Nita.
Ogenga was put on half pay, with a full house and medical allowances, and was also prohibited from entering Nita’s offices.
On November 28, 2023, the head of Nita requested the chairman of Nita to reconsider the suspension.
He explained that he was not the accounting officer when tender no. Nita/12/2017-2018 was obtained and awarded, and he had fully collaborated with the EACC regarding the issue.
Ogenga mentioned that the Auditor General’s office did not express any qualified opinions regarding the procurement during the entire audit period up to the present time.
The head of Nita mentioned that any employees directly involved in the procurement process might face a potential conflict of interest.
The court reinstated him saying his interdiction went against the law.
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“A declaration is hereby issued that the decision of the 1st respondent to interdict the petitioner from his employment as the Director General of the 1st respondent by a letter dated November 24, 2023, is unlawful and unfair,” the statement read.
The court ordered the Authority to restore his complete salary and employment benefits starting from the date of his suspension.
The court also instructed the Authority to cover the legal expenses of the lawsuit.
During his appeal for reinstatement, Ogenga contended that he was not being investigated specifically for the improper awarding of the tender in question, but rather, the investigation was a broad inquiry into the awarding of a tender for the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, servicing, maintenance, and repair of sewing and training machines.
He added that it is not justifiable for him to be suspended for a year due to an investigation by EACC that began three years ago.
“EACC has neither communicated its finding on the investigations nor has it recommended charges against the applicant to the Director of Public Prosecutions,” the statement reads.
Ogenga stated that he was suspended by the Authority even though he carried out internal inquiries and concluded that the procurement process adhered to proper procedures and was legal.
Stephen Ogenga Reinstated as NITA Boss by Court
