NACC slams 47 “corrupt” officials

Written by The Standard Tribune

Friday, 13 August 2010 16:10

YAOUNDE—At least 47 civil servants face trial allegedly for the joint embezzlement of about CFA700 million in funds meant for the promotion of corn production in the country.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) levied accusations after an investigation triggered by an NGO report of massive corruption in the corn sector two years ago.

Dieudonné Massi Gams, NACC’s acting chairman went public with the pending action Tuesday but did not state any names, which are contained in a report to the presidency.

It is one of the first instances in which the organ, one of several public anti-corruption agencies, has been seen as taking concrete action against rampant corruption in the public sector.

NACC was forced to open investigations after the Association for the Defence of Collective Interests (ACDIC) revealed that about CFA2 billion to boost the corn sector had been stolen.

The NGO said the money never got to farmers, forcing many corn production schemes to fail leaving thousands of farmers and their workers out of work.

NACC confirmed the allegations but said less than half of that or some CFA700 million might have been stolen.

No names have been cited by Gams told a press briefing that suspects include coordinators of the national programme for the development of corn production and some field staff.