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Tag: Funds

  • COVID-19: Why Buhari released funds to Lagos, snubbed others – Presidency

    COVID-19: Why Buhari released funds to Lagos, snubbed others – Presidency

    The Presidency on Thursday explained why the Federal Government had not been dishing out funds to state governments.

    It faulted the action of some governors it accused of prioritising the quest for money over the need to overcome the disease in the state.

    Speaking on a radio programme monitored in Kano, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said: “The Federal Government assisted Lagos State with N10 billion for its commitment and only because it was satisfied that the government of Lagos started on the right footing, rolling out proper plans and mobilising its fund to fight the pandemic.

    “Lagos State was only scouting for technical, manpower and facility supports, not financial support.

    “The Buhari government felt obliged to lend a financial hand not because it was asked to, but because it was convinced it should.”

  • Government agencies still diverting public funds despite anti-graft war – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted that despite his administration’s anti-corruption effort some government agencies are still diverting funds or refusing to fully account for them.

    He said this while swearing in the Chairman and members of the Board of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) at the presidential villa, Abuja on Monday.

    Buhari, therefore, urged the commission to collaborate with the relevant government agencies toward mitigating the infractions on public expenditure.

    The president said: “As I have noted in recent times, despite our anti-corruption drive, some agencies of government still divert or refuse to fully account for revenue generated. Rather than obey constitutional provisions and extant rules and regulations, such agencies continue as if nothing has changed.

    “We are determined to ensure that every agency of government accounts for public revenue generated or expended. I am looking forward to ICPC’s support both for enforcement of anti-corruption laws and submission of policy measures and directives to prevent revenue leakage and diversion.

    “In this regard, I urge you to collaborate with other government agencies such as the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation towards mitigating wrong-doing in public expenditure. Furthermore, I look forward to receiving anti-corruption recommendations linked to e-Government standards and principles.

    While congratulating the new Board members for being found worthy to serve the country on the assignment, President Buhari stressed the importance of the war against corruption.

    He added: “Your appointment is a call to service in an important sector and segment critical in our government’s agenda.

    “Today’s occasion is the continuation of this Administration’s fight against corruption. It is a cardinal programme in the three point agenda that I promised to pursue and will continue to pursue as I seek the mandate of Nigerians for a second term.

    “The fight against corruption is very crucial in our national development. This is why I have often said – if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

    “We are all witnesses to the damage that unbridled corruption has inflicted on our development aspirations. Apart from the deliberate and wanton looting of our national wealth and common patrimony, corruption has eroded our values and ethical foundation as a nation.

    “Corruption has negatively affected our political, economic and social life. Those opposed to our fight against corruption berate us for our focus, determination and single-mindedness. They pretend that they do not know what corruption is. But Nigerians know what corruption is. Ordinary people know what corruption is and they support our effort and determination to fight it.

    “The abuse of public office for private gain represents corruption in its worst form. The circumvention of public policies and processes for competitive advantage and profit is another form of corruption.

    “The abuse of public office for personal benefit even if no bribery occurs is also corruption. The diversion of State revenue or miss-application of budgeted funds falls into the same category.

    “I am particularly delighted that the ICPC law under which you will operate is robust enough to assist government to sanitise the public sector of corruption in service delivery, public procurement, diversion of public revenue, deliberate misuse of public funds, and so on.”

    Using the saying, Buhari stressed the “Prevention is better than cure,” the President reminded the Board that its statutory mandate recognises this principle.

    He added: “Therefore, I encourage you to come up with strong preventive policy measures and strategies for government’s endorsement to take us to the Next Level in the fight against corruption. I am aware that the ICPC laws empower you to make proposals to assist the government in this fight.

    “Just about a month ago, I opened your Corruption Risk Assessment training for anti-corruption agencies in Africa. That initiative, in support of my role as the AU anti-corruption champion, is welcome, and I Iook forward to seeing ICPC distinguish itself as a leading institution in Africa in building capacity to conduct and implement corruption risk assessments.

    “But charity must begin at home. Therefore, your skills and expertise must be demonstrated in identifying MDAs highly prone to corruption and what must be done to bring about better governance.

    “I am also aware that you have set up Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit in Ministries, Departments and Agencies. This is an important step towards corruption prevention and ensuring full compliance with the government’s anti-corruption measures and our laws.

    “I encourage you to make effective use of our ACTU in MDAs by receiving reports directly from such Units and taking enforcement measures to assist government to realise its objectives of a cleaner public service.”

    In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the ICPC Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, noted that they are lucky to be given this assignment “because under your leadership, you are unquestionable, unequivocal and unshakable resolve to deal with corruption is very well known. Therefore, the political will required to fight corruption is available.”

    He pledged that the board of the commission will do their best not to disappoint the president and the country.

    Other members of the board are: Dr Grace Chinda, Okolo Titus, Obiora Igwedebia, Mrs Olubukola Balogun, Justice Adams Bello, Hannatu Muhammed, Abdullahi Saidu, and Yahaya Dauda.

  • Reps to Buhari: Order your finance minister to release outstanding funds for Judiciary

    Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

    The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Minister of Finance Mrs Zainab Ahmed to release to the National Judicial Council (NJC) all outstanding funds to the credit of the judiciary.

    House further mandated its Committee on Federal Judiciary to ensure compliance and report back to the house within one week for further legislative action.

    The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon Aminu Shehu Shagari (Sokoto,PDP) on the matter on the floor of the House.

    Shagari said that the judiciary is on the First Line Charge as stipulatedbin Sect 81 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) which provides that “Any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary in the consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation shall be paid and disbursed directly to the National Judicial Council for disbursement to heads of Courts established for the Federation and the States under section 6 of this constitution.

    He also said that the essence of the above constitutional provision is to guarantee financial and administrative independence of the judiciary thereby insulating it from interference and control by any other drafter of the constitution and also to promote and protect the doctrine of seperation of powers.

    The lawmaker stated that a total sum of 110 billion was approved for judiciary in the year 2018 and added that the sum of 100 billion was proposed by the Executive.

    He further hinted that the House Committee on Federal Judiciary in exercise of its oversight powers visited courts and judicial bodies on 7th and 8th November 2018 in an attempt to ascertain the extent of implementation of the 2018 budget.

    He also told the House that reports available to the Committee the Minister of Finance who is a functionary of the Executive arm of government has been withholding funds standing to the credit of the judiciary as at when due in contravention of Sec 81(3) of the constitution as amended.

    He added that the withholding of the funds to the judiciary may disrupt the efficiency of the judicial arm of government as well as place in jeopardy its financial obligations to contractual agreements.

    The House presided by the Speaker Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara thereafter put the matter to voice vote and it was voted for overwhelming.

    Dogara later referred the matter the House Committee on Judiciary for further legislative actions.
    End.

  • Osinbajo reacts to House report indicting him of acting illegally on NEMA funds

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has reacted to a report released by a House of Representatives committee indicting him for allegedly approving funds illegally.

    Recall that the House committee in its report accused the vice president of acting illegally in approving N5.9 billion for emergency operations of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) whose head was being investigated by the lawmakers.

    Osinbajo’s response is contained in a statement signed and released by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande on Friday.

    “These presidential approvals were well within the clear constitutional authority of the Acting President, who needed to take emergency steps to forestall acute food shortages in the affected States and there was nothing illegal or unconstitutional about them,” Akande wrote.

    Read the vice president’s full reaction to the report below.

    Our attention has been drawn to a report of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness issued on Thursday, November 8, 2018, particularly in respect of funds released for “emergency intervention of food security to the North-East” in June 2017, when the Vice President was Acting President.

    In its report, the Committee alleged that a sum of N5,865,671,939.26 was approved and released in June 2017 vide a Memo raised from the Office of the Acting President, directing the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to so act. The House Committee also concluded that the payment made was in contravention of approval of the National Assembly. This conclusion is both false and misleading.

    To start with, it is important to understand the context of the transaction. This was at a time when internally displaced persons and their host communities faced very severe food shortages throughout the North East, as a result of successive poor harvests and abandoned farmlands, minimal cross-border cash crop trade and lost economic opportunities.

    On 15th April 2017, the United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP), a major aid organisation and food supplier to the region, had issued a warning that it would be reducing its vital support to about 1.8 million IDPs by as much as 85%, due to corresponding reduction in funding by the donor countries. Around the same time, the United Nations Commission for Refugees in Geneva also warned of the growing risk of mass deaths from starvation among people living in the conflict areas.

    The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) moved urgently to prevent the looming disaster by establishing a strategic food intervention plan for the affected States. A Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Delivery to the North East was convened and the Committee met on the 13th of May, 2017 to kick off the process, with the then Acting President as Chairman. Other members of the Committee included:

    (i) Minister of Finance;

    (ii) Minister of Budget and National Planning;

    (iii) Minister of State for Budget and National Planning;

    (iv) Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development;

    (v) Governor of Central Bank;

    (vi) Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; and

    (vii) Senior Special Assistant in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

    Resulting from the deliberations of this and subsequent meetings, the approval referred to in the House Committee’s Report was, in fact, based on a request raised by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria as facilitator of the National Food Security Programme, vide a letter dated May 25, 2017.

    As explained in the said letter, there was an immediate need to distribute grains, including rice, maize, soya beans and sorghum, to Internally Displaced Persons through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The only way to obtain the quantity of grains required was to resort to the National Food Security Progamme (NFSP) earlier established by the Federal Government as a means of shoring up its strategic grain reserves.

    It was in consequence of the Federal Government decision to urgently purchase the stored grains for distribution to Internally Displaced Persons that the CBN made the proposal for approval of 30,905.08 Metric Tonnes at N5,229,685,333.26. Of that amount, the then Acting President eventually approved N5,036,644,933.26, after excluding bagging costs. This was pursuant to the recommendation that bagging, transportation and other logistics were best handled by NEMA.

    NEMA also originated a request to the Acting President, dated May 25, 2017, requesting the sum of N829,026,456.00 for general logistics, branding & packaging, tracking, security, personnel, media & publicity and contingency costs of taking the grains from their respective locations in Kano, Kaduna, Funtua, Ibadan and Gombe to Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Jigawa States.

    These presidential approvals were well within the clear constitutional authority of the Acting President, who needed to take emergency steps to forestall acute food shortages in the affected States and there was nothing illegal or unconstitutional about them. The approvals were duly communicated by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Central Bank, Director General of NEMA and the Minister of Finance for implementation.

    On account of the emergency nature of the procurement, the House Committee’s assumption that the ordinary rules of procurement would apply was wrong. Section 43 of the Public Procurement Act makes provision for emergency procurement, in which case the procuring entity is allowed to engage in direct contracting for goods and file a report thereafter with the Bureau of Public Procurement.

    It is also wrong to assume that taxes and interests accruable to government from these transactions in food items were deliberately ignored or waived by neglect. Of course, we expect that any loans advanced to any of the companies would be recovered with the agreed interests, and that any profits made by such companies would be liable to tax in the usual manner.

    The suggestion that the grains were never delivered to the target States is also blatant falsehood. In actual fact, in order to ensure effective distribution of the grains, an Emergency Food Intervention Project Team was established, consisting of the Director General of NEMA and representatives of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Department of State Security, Nigeria Police and the Presidency. The Committee also worked with respective State Emergency Management Agencies, as well as humanitarian agencies such as World Food Programme, International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Deliveries were publicly made directly to the intended beneficiaries. In fact, the then Acting President personally inspected the electronic truck-tracking unit established in Maiduguri for the purpose of monitoring the transportation, and flagged off the food distribution on the 8th of June, 2017. Besides, there was the integration of a robust monitoring and evaluation system into the operation in order to facilitate a transparent and accountable process.

    Therefore, all insinuations on this matter regarding purported indictments and perceived violations of due process or the constitution are baseless and totally false. Such interpretations are flawed and should be utterly ignored.

    Laolu Akande

    Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President

    Office of the Vice President

    9th November, 2018

  • Senate slashes budgets of 30 agencies, redistributes funds to 2019 elections

    The Senate on Wednesday approved that half of the N242 billion budgeted for the 2019 election be removed from the 2018 budget of 30 federal agencies.

    Presenting a motion on Wednesday, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje, said the election could not be funded entirely from the service wide votes as earlier approved.

    The motion, co-sponsored by 18 other senators proposed that N121 billion be removed from the 30 agencies while the other N121 billion be sourced from service wide votes.

    “Recall the approval of the Virement/Supplementary budget for INEC and Security Agencies for the conduct of the 2019 General elections in the sum of Two Hundred and Forty-Two Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Five Million, Fifty Thousand, One hundred Naira [N242, 245, 050,100] only, which is to be funded from the Service Wide Votes on the 16th October, 2018-Senate Resolution (S/RS/027/04/8);

    “The Senate is aware that because of some obvious and imminent issues of national socioeconomic importance, the virement/supplementary request cannot be implemented as earlier approved,” Mr Goje said.

    Contributing to the motion, Dino Melaye (Kogi-PDP) said the N27.3 billion budgeted for the Nigeria Police during the election was too much. He premised his argument on the fact that the police would be involved in less mobilisation as it is a general election.

    He was countered by Mr Goje who said the fund was justifiable as police would have to make mobilisation for the election. Mr Goje added that the Senate had already passed the stage of budgeting for agencies and was only tasked to determine the source of funding.

    He said, “The only thing different from what we passed on the 16th of October is the source of funding. Initially, the source of funding was to come from the service wide votes but now we reduce the weight by half. That has to come from the MDAs. Otherwise, this Senate took a decision, approved this virement.

    “The submission, by Mr President, for the police was over 30 billion. It was the appropriation committee that reduced it by three billion. I want to correct the impression that there will be no mobilisation. We all know how elections use to be in this country. Police have to be deployed to different polling units. They are provided vehicles, allowances. I’m sure the money is even small.”

     

  • I had a major challenge with funds when I started – Niniola

    Afro-house singer and reality TV star, Niniola has revealed that when she started out in music, she had to grapple with the absence of funds.
    Niniola recounted her pains and journey to the top, in a recent chat with Thisday.
    Hear her:” I have found a way to make a mark and inspire a lot of lives, being able to take the African sound across borders. When you hit milestones and you are thankful for each day you see, you do not talk about the challenges, you only think about the challenges when they are ongoing but when you pass them, you will be like ‘oh thank God,’ then you celebrate. Of course, challenges were truly there when I started; I had major challenges with funding my project but then God made a way, my mum was really supportive”, the Ibadi singer revealed.
     
    Niniola who is elder sister to singer and viral sensation, Teni has said she open to working on a song with Teniola
    “Teni and I will definitely give you guys something. I was welcomed by other people so welcoming her was never a problem, its actually good company. As kids, we used to sing together and do other things but when she travelled out of the country for her tertiary education, we couldn’t do all that again. Right now, we still call each other and talk about music every now and then”.
     

  • WTD: Buhari blasts governors for diverting funds meant to pay teachers' salaries

    …promises to clear and end issues of unpaid salaries
    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigeria’s Teachers that his heart is with them over the issue of unpaid salaries, assuring that unpaid salaries would soon become an issue of the past.
    The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, said Buhari gave the assurance in a message to this year’s World Teachers’ Day.
    The President disclosed that he was aware that in some states and local councils of the federation, teachers were being owed salaries of several months.
    He revealed that it was specifically to mitigate the situation of unpaid teachers and pensioners that his administration doled out billions of naira as bailout funds to various states.
    “Sadly, the issue of unpaid salaries remains,’’ he lamented.
    Buhari, however, assured that the Federal Government would continue to work with the state governments to ensure that “all salary arrears are not just cleared, but that unpaid salaries become an issue of the past.’’
    The President used the opportunity of this year’s World Teachers’ Day to express his appreciation to all Nigeria’s teachers, “the usually unsung heroes of our country whose skill and commitment daily mould the minds of our country’s youth, our leaders of today and tomorrow.’’
    While highlighting some of the measures put in place by his administration to improve education and better the welfare of teachers, Buhari regretted as “grave and unfortunate” that the country’s teachers were often treated unfairly despite their essential services.
    According to him, Teachers are the most important segment of workers in the country, invaluable for the essential work they do towards building the country’s future.
    He said: “Teaching is a noble profession, wielding a strong influence by inspiring and educating our children. The values they inculcate stay with them for a lifetime.’’

     

  • Kano Govt denies owing ex-deputy gov, provides details of funds released

    Kano Govt denies owing ex-deputy gov, provides details of funds released

    The Kano State Government has denied allegations of non-payment of entitlements by the former deputy governor, Professor Hafiz Abubakar.

    The government while reacting to Abubakar’s resignation noted that based on available records, in 2017 alone, the sum of over N120, 000, 000.00 was paid to former deputy Governor as traveling allowance both within and outside the country, while in 2018, over N30, 000, 000.00 million was paid to him for various traveling allowances.

    A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, Malam Muhammad Garba and made available to reporters also stated that in July the sum of N7, 409, 575.00 was released to the former deputy governor to travel to the United Kingdom to receive an Honourary Degree from the University of Reading

    The sum of N7, 800, 000.00 was also said to have been paid the deputy governor, who doubles as Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as his travelling allowance to Khartoum, Sudan for the convocation ceremony of the University of Africa.

    “Also, for a trip to the United Kingdom for the World Education Forum, the sum of N8, 509, 000.00 was paid to him; while his trip to Saudi Arabia for his daughters’ graduation was also sponsored by the state government, among other privileges extended to him’’,

    The state government also challenged the former deputy governor on allegations that the state government has committed resources to sponsor rally in support of his removal from office, pointing out that, the gravity of the allegation may prompt the government to take appropriate action.

    ‘’The former deputy governor ought to have landed safely and quietly instead of making unsubstantiated allegations just to draw attention,‘’

    The statement further stated that for fear of ominous impeachment process by the Kano state House of Assembly, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, has hurriedly tendered his resignation, following the decision by 30 out of the 40 legislators to commence impeachment proceeding against him over false, unfounded allegations and undermining the state government.

    The deputy governor was also accused of making unguarded comments capable of causing disaffection particularly in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the state in general.

    The government also debunked allegation over threat to his life and that of members of his immediate family which it regarded as unbecoming considering his position as number two citizen with a provision for statutory security detail.

    Recall that the former deputy governor tendered his resignation on Sunday despite his initial denial of defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as resigning his position.

  • $300m Abacha, Alamieyeseigha’s loot: Nigeria, US sign MoU on repatriation of funds

    $300m Abacha, Alamieyeseigha’s loot: Nigeria, US sign MoU on repatriation of funds

    As part of bids to repatriate stolen funds starched in foreign countries, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has signed an agreement with the United States of America spelling out the roadmap for the return to Nigeria over $300m looted by Nigeria’s former Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, and a former Governor of Bayelsa State, the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

    Malami said the US government had taken custody of the money, including parts of it stashed in the United Kingdom, France and Jersey.

    This is contained in the speech delivered by the AGF at Chatham House, London in the UK on Thursday.

    A copy of the speech made available to journalists in Abuja by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Salihu Isah, via e-mail, was titled, ‘Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Effort: Working with the Media, Civil Society and International Partners’.

    The minister stated that the US government took custody of the over $300m following forfeiture orders made by American courts.

    He said of the $300m, the sums of $1.6m and £21.7m were in the UK, $145m was stashed in France, and $299m in Jersey.

    The disclosure by the AGF followed an earlier tripartite agreement he signed alongside the representatives of the Swiss government and World Bank for the return by Switzerland to Nigeria the sum of $321m looted by Abacha and members of his family.