For the love of a lousy buck, Sally Mbanefo will sell her soul to the devil at the crossroads where riotous greed stifles restraint. The Director-General (DG) of Nigeria Tourism Development Cooperation (NTDC) has thrown caution to the dogs; she will stop at nothing to amass fortune illicitly, at the expense of the NTDC. Since she took over the administration of the tourism body, Mbanefo has been mired in successive scandalous acts thus bringing great her erstwhile esteemed office to disrepute. Following the ouster of the NTDC’s former DG, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, from the corporation, Mbanefo was appointed by the machinations of Edem Duke, Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation; The Capital findings revealed that Duke fast-tracked Mbanefo’s appointment because of the very cordial relationship they shared at the period and the persistent pressure exerted on him by a mutual friend they shared, Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
However, no sooner than Mbanefo assumed office than she exhausted the goodwill and confidence that the Minister reposed in her. She failed to meet set targets and she never fulfilled any of the promises she made. Eight weeks into her appointment, Mbanefo was uncomfortably quiet which kept the public doubting her ability to fit into her new role. However, in the month, she made a statement at a summit where she leveraged her experience in the private sector to explore opportunities in the Tourism sector.
None of the promises she made has been met as she has been busy siphoning NTDC project funds for her personal agenda, according to her close associates. The DG has not only brought disgrace to herself but also to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke and her friend Anyim Pius Anyim. Her deceitfulness and disloyalty has torn her relationship with Duke apart. They currently don’t see eye to eye even though they used to be very close; in the past, they travelled together and did a lot of deals together. But at the moment, Duke allegedly hates her guts and he is seeking every possible means to get her sacked. Mbanefo’s close relationship with Pius Anyim is however, making it very difficult for the minister to get her sacked.
Mbanefo has over time been linked to several scandals. She disgraced herself recently in Brazil when she chewed up evidence of financial misappropriation by her; a petition was leveled against her by AUPCTRE for gross official misconduct. The petitioners, ignoring her desperate attempts to bribe them, seek her removal as Director-General of the NTDC citing her fraudulent practices as reasons. Consequently, Mbanefo was at the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) recently in Abuja to defend the allegations leveled against her. The EFCC is also investigating her for diverting an undisclosed amount of money meant for the sponsorship of a proposed Nigerian Fans’ village in Brazil. It was gathered that she asked for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between her and Za Entertainment, the contractor for the project, tore it up and began to chew the paper. Her attempt to swallow the MOU however, led to a physical struggle between her and President of Za Entertainment, Azania Omo-Agege, who held her tightly, forcing the papers out of her mouth.
