The United States Department of Treasury Department has called on the board of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to institute an independent probe against Akinwunmi Adesina, the bank’s president.
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The request was made in a letter written by Steven Mnuchin, US Treasury Secretary, dated 22 May and addressed to Niale Kaba, Chairwoman of the bank’s board of governors, according to Bloomberg.
The AfDB ethics board had investigated and exonerated Adesina, a former minister of agriculture in Nigeria, following several allegations levelled against him.
However, Mnuchin said the US Treasury is dissatisfied with the findings of the ethics board, particularly with the total exoneration of Adesina.
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“We have deep reservations about the integrity of the committee’s process.
“Instead, we urge you to initiate an in-depth investigation of the allegations using the services of an independent outside investigator of high professional standing.
“Considering the scope, seriousness, and detail of these allegations against the sole candidate for bank leadership over the next five years, we believe that further inquiry is necessary to ensure that the AfDB’s president has broad support, confidence, and a clear mandate from shareholders,” the letter read.
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Adesina is the sole candidate for the Abidjan-based bank’s election scheduled to hold in August.
Le Monde, a French newspaper, had reported that some employees of the bank submitted a petition against Adesina.
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Some of the allegations include that Adesina was trying to “Nigerianise” the bank and that he received awards in 2017 and 2019 of $250,000 and $500, 000 respectively from groups in the US and South Korea.
However, some of the staff who filed the petition withdrew their names from it, claiming that an executive director of the bank – who uses a group called Group of Concerned Staff Members – aimed to use the allegations to discredit Adesina’s re-election bid.
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