AfDB Board Approves Independent Probe Of Adesina

The board of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved the calls for an independent probe of the bank’s President Akinwunmi Adesina.

Recall that the United States Department of Treasury had called for an independent probe of allegations levelled against Dr Akinwumi Adesina, AfDB president on corruption after being cleared by the bank’s ethics committee.

The US calls however irked some African leaders who maintained that such a call was against the laws of the bank.

Announcing its decision in a communique after a bureau meeting on Thursday, the Chairperson of the board stated that: “Based on the views of some Governors on the matter and the need to carry every Governor along in resolving it, the Bureau agrees to authorize an Independent Review of the Report of the Ethics Committee of the Boards of Directors relative to the allegations considered by the Ethics Committee and the submissions made by the President of the Bank Group thereto in the interest of due process.”

On approval of an independent probe on Adesina, the AfDB Board of governors chairperson noted that “The Independent Review shall be conducted by a neutral high calibre individual with unquestionable experience, high international reputation and integrity within a short time period of not more than two to four weeks maximum, taking the Bank Group’s electoral calendar into account.

Kaba disclosed that there will be “an independent comprehensive review of the implementation of the Bank Group’s Whistle-Blowing and Complaints Handling Policy should be conducted with a view to ensuring that the Policy is properly implemented, and revising it where necessary, to avoid situations of this nature in the future.”