July 21, 2015 – The Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency(BSTDA) has been thrown into confusion following revelation of $80,000 about N16 million fraud that has rocked the agency.
We gathered that the money was allegedly misappropriated by former Director General of the Agency, Ebizy Ndiomu-Brown in 2013 as part of activities to host the maiden Bayelsa Jazz International Festival.
We gathered that Ndiomu-Brown, who is now Deputy Chief of Staff to Bayelsa State Government contacted the Amercian Jazz instrumentalist, Earl Klugh to perform at the festival with the likes of Femi Anikulapo Kuti and South Africa’s Hugh Masekela.
We gathered that records at BSTDA showed that the artiste was paid his full appearance fee of $80,000 yet he refused to show up at the festival and nothing was done to query the artiste or make him to refund the money to either the agency or the Bayelsa State Government.
We gathered that the bubble burst when Ndiomu-Brown was promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff last year by the Governor Sierieke Dickson and Ebiere Irene Musah was made the DG of BSTDA.
Musah who was bossom friend of the former DG discovered the anomaly and has decided to probe other events hosted by the state like the Africa Movie Academy Award(AMAA), the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria(MBGN) pageant and other shows where have been generously hosted by the Bayelsa State Government.
