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Tag: Treasury

  • We didn’t divert N6.5 bn – Kano Govt.

    We didn’t divert N6.5 bn – Kano Govt.

    The Kano State Government says it did not divert 6.5 billion naira from the state’s treasury.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Kano on Monday by the spokesperson to Gov. Abba Yusuf, Sanusi Darwakin-Tofa.

    The reaction followed digital media reports alleging that Director-General of the Protocol Directorate, Abdullahi Rogo, was implicated in the diversion.

    The government said that every cash outflow was properly budgeted with clear codes spelt out in the fiscal policy of the state.

    “The Directorate of Protocol handles critical responsibilities, including logistics, accommodation, welfare, and management of the governor’s itineraries, which involve large volumes of financial transactions.

    “The government asserts its commitment to transparency, accountability, and zero tolerance for corruption,” Darwakin-Tofa said.

    He said Kano State Government had  confidence in the integrity of Rogo, noting that the administration would not succumb to political blackmail.

    “The government reaffirms its commitment to transparency and accountability, urging credible media platforms not to allow unpatriotic groups or individuals to use their medium to mislead or misinform the public.

    “It encourages lawful processes and remains confident that its officials can fully explain and defend their actions in line with due process and public service regulations,” he said.

    He cautioned those responsible for such publications to desists from such acts and join hands with the government to build the state.

  • El-Rufai threatens to expose Kaduna ex-govs for pilfering the state treasury

    El-Rufai threatens to expose Kaduna ex-govs for pilfering the state treasury

    The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has threatened to expose ex-governors of the state for pilfering the state treasury, challenging them to swear that they never did so.

    El-Rufai pointed out that he is ready to swear to prove he is telling the truth.

    Challenging his predecessors, the governor also said they (ex-governors of the Kaduna State) should come out to swear, if their hands are clean.

    El-Rufai said this in an interview in Hausa monitored on a local television and radio station, where he explained that his philosophy in governance was not to steal, adding that he is aware that there would be a day of reckoning.

    I did not steal anybody’s money and I am challenging those who governed Kaduna to come out and swear that they’ve never stolen money

    Stating that all loans secured to facilitate projects in the state during his administration were used only for the specified projects, El-Rufai said, “The people can see that we executed those projects with the loans we secured. We did not syphon the money to Dubai and buy houses, or go to Jabi road and build a mansion.

    “We are not like such people. I became the governor of Kaduna State with only one house located at Danja Street in Unguwan Sarki Kaduna. I’ve completed my tenure, Alhamdulillah…that is my only house. I don’t have any other house. I didn’t build a mansion. I don’t even need it.

    “I did not steal anybody’s money and I am challenging those who governed Kaduna to come out and swear that they’ve never stolen money, they should swear that they’ve not taken a kobo from Kaduna State.

    El-Rufai threatens to expose Kaduna ex-govs for pilfering the state treasury
    Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai,

    “Wallahi, l am ready to swear. I am challenging them (former governors) to come out, face the people of Kaduna State and swear that they’ve never stolen the people’s money.”

    Continuing he said, “We know them, they are neither the children of Dantata ( legendary Kano billionaire) nor the children of Dangote. We know them right from our school days. Where do they get the money to build those houses? What was their profession?”

    I’m happy that we constructed qualitative roads that would last for years, not those kinds of roads they’ve constructed in the past

    The governor, however, stated that his administration still had work to do but boasted about the works already completed, especially the roads constructed in the state.

    He said, “I’m happy that we constructed qualitative roads that would last for years, not those kinds of roads they’ve constructed in the past which after two years, after two rainy seasons the roads would be bad.

    “We still have work to do. Our plan is that we want all roads in Kaduna to be tarred. Anyone who comes to Kaduna would not see a muddy road. Every part of the town you visit will have tarred roads and solar powered street lights. That’s what we envisaged everywhere in Kaduna, in Kafanchan, in Zaria and in all Local Government Areas such as Soba, everywhere. That is what we want to see.”

    “However, we couldn’t realise all our development plans because of the situation this government met. In fact we had to seek loans to execute those projects.”

  • Kukah hits hard again: Nigerian elites rush to Saudi, Jerusalem for forgiveness after looting treasury dry

    Kukah hits hard again: Nigerian elites rush to Saudi, Jerusalem for forgiveness after looting treasury dry

    Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Mathew Kukah has again taken a swipe at Nigerian leaders accusing them of rushing to ‘holy land’ for forgiveness after looting the nation’s resources dry.

    Recall that the outspoken cleric in his Christmas Day Message slammed the President Muhammadu Buhari’s admnistration of insecurity and nepotism.

    In Tuesday’s sermon at the funeral mass for Archbishop Peter Yariyock Jatau, the pioneer indigenous Archbishop of Kaduna Catholic Diocese, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna, Rev. Kukah spoke against corruption in government.

    He described Nigeria as a “wasteland” and “a nation at war with itself”.

    Referring to the reaction to his Christmas message, Rev. Kukah said he would not keep quiet when things are going wrong.

    In the sermon titled: ‘A nation in search of its soul, the Bishop said: “The duty and responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens. The Priest is a watchman, one whose duty is to watch over the city and to raise his voice whenever he sights danger. He calls on those who lead to remain faithful to their duties.”

    “Today, our dear nation is like the proverbial farmer searching for his black goat. He has to do it with a sense of urgency because darkness is setting in as the sun quickly recedes. Our nation has become one huge waste land, huge debris of the deceit, lies, treachery, double dealing and duplicity.

    “Nigerian politics has become a huge trojan horse, a hoax, a hall of guile and dissimulation. The levels of frustration are rising by the day and we can see all this in the rise in domestic violence and intercommunal conflicts. A combination of all these has turned us unto a nation at war with itself.

    “Nigerians complain that the country is full of Churches and Mosques and they cannot find the values of these religions in everyday life. We sin at home by stealing the nation’s resources but we seek repentance and forgiveness in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem in the guise of lesser or higher pilgrimages.

    “Our duty is to reject the notion of corrupt governments that somehow, the Lord has not provided for every society. When they call for us to tighten our belts because there is recession, that oil prices have fallen, that there are problems with balance of payments and so on.

    “The Priest at the duty post must say what he can see, namely, that when those who preside over the affairs issue a bad check, it must be resisted, that when they pretend that the society faces bankruptcy, or that there are insufficient funds, we must reject these and insist on the equitable use of the resources for the common good of all.

    “We make money from abandoning projects duly paid for by governments which have adopted Contractocracy as a governance mechanism. We are allowing others to use our money to develop their own infrastructure. Our elites all assembled in Dubai for Christmas and also to welcome the new year.

    “As virtue recedes into the sunset in our country, there is an urgent need for us to pause and take stock of what is required to save our country,” Kukah said.

    The Cleric who took time to speak about the achievements to the late Archbishop Jatau, said the late clergyman took over the mantle of leadership, raised the bar and by sheer diplomatic efficiency and sought to forge and strengthen a viable relationship between Church and State.

    “So, tonight, our prayers for him is similar to that issued by Cardinal Ratzinger at the funeral of the late Pope John Paul 11 when he said: Yes, bless us, Holy Father. We entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guided you each day and who will guide you now to the eternal glory of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Like Stephen, may the gates of heaven stand erect till you have passed through.”

  • Why I entrusted women with nation’s treasury – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari says placing women in strategic positions of his government, like the financial sector, is to ensure effective management of limited resources, and promote a stronger sense of inclusiveness.

    The president gave the insight into his preferred choice for Ministers of Finance when he received a delegation of National, Zonal, State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The delegation was led by the party Women Leader, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

    President Buhari added that he preferred women to oversee the economic and financial hub of the country, Ministry of Finance, as they could readily deploy their experience in aligning resources with the needs of the country.

    According to him, the nation also have many female technocrats with local and international experiences on economy and finance.

    “I am happy that I can defend myself very effectively on this issue. The APC party leader is my witness. Since the coming into power of this administration, I have handed over the treasury to women.

    “Even at household level, you hand over the money to women to manage. It can be taken to the level of managing the country’s treasury as well. I have consistently given it to women. It is strategic.

    “I am conscious of the leadership roles of women in the society and by my action i have justified my belief,’’ he said.

    The President reiterated that his administration would ensure inclusiveness for women and youths, especially in the second term, “by providing more access to facilities that would enable spread of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, and encourage more interest in agriculture”.

    He said the traditional and subsistence style of farming should be replaced with commercialized and business oriented techniques.

    “We have to move away from the traditional ways of farming that were practiced in the pre-colonial and colonial era,’’ he added.

    The President said he instructed the ministers to work with traditional institutions to encourage interest in farming, with the Central Bank of Nigeria readily providing loans at low interest rates and longer periods of repayment.

    “On unemployment, I know there is no able bodied person that went back to the farm in the last three years that regretted the action,’’ he added.

    In her remarks, the APC Woman Leader congratulated the president for his victory at the polls and the tribunal.

    She commended the Buhari administration for its efforts in managing the affairs of the country, which provided the impetus for the vigorous campaigns.

    Baiwa said women were particularly pleased and willing to vote for the President because the government deliberately formulated some policies to favour and empower women, like the social intervention Trader Moni.

    She said the APC had many resourceful and loyal women that would contribute to the success of the administration.

    She commended the President for giving women strategic positions in the government.

    “Our prayer is that God will give you the tenacity to overcome all obstacles,’’ the Woman Leader said.

  • Ajimobi, Oyo-governor elect trade words over alleged plans to empty treasury before handover

    Ajimobi, Oyo-governor elect trade words over alleged plans to empty treasury before handover

    The Governor-elect in Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has alleged that there were plans by the outgoing government in the state to cripple his administration by ensuring that all monies in government coffers, both strategic and from stabilisation accounts are spent in the next couple of weeks.

    Makinde alleged that the move was to stall the smooth takeoff of his administration.

    Makinde in a statement signed by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade on Monday said that “he is aware of questionable special projects for which N2.475m have been hurriedly released for each of the 33 local governments and similar amount released to the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OSTROMA) for the same purpose totalling four billion, nine hundred and fifty million naira”

    He added that, “the money was taken from the Excess Crude oil Account and released through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    “While government is a continuum, frenetic release of government funds in unusual circumstances is worrisome especially if it is not in the normal bureaucratic pattern”.

    Makinde said his administration has a plan in place for phased recruitment when it gets into office, “but will reject the mischievous planned mass recruitment by the outgoing government to increase the financial load of the incoming administration and stunt it’s smooth take off”

    He maintained that he and his team “are keeping track of goings on at the state banks and the civil servants collaborators and will take bold steps to correct all anomalies”.

    But, the state government said that it will not be stampeded into inactivity.

    Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogu in a statement released to the media said, “We will not be stampeded into inactivity”.

    He added that, “The Oyo State Government hereby wishes to react to the unfounded and mischievous allegation of emptying the treasury by the spokesperson of Engr. Seyi Makinde.

    “Ordinarily, Government should ignore the antics of the spokesperson of the Governor Elect in the state since the path of calumny is one in which he treads with absolute familiarity.

    “The Oyo State Government therefore for the umpteenth time wishes to implore members of the public to ignore the inflammatory statements of the serial propangadist. We refuse to trade words with him any further.

    “For the avoidance of doubt however, we hereby state unequivocally that the accusations are not only patently false but are figments of his imagination. The State Government’s earlier statement on a related matter on the siphoning of funds subsists. Meanwhile, let it be reiterated that the mandate of the Ajimobi administration will not lapse until the 28th of May 2019.

    “Therefore no amount of sabre-rattling will cause the Government to fold its hands counting days instead of making the remainder of its days count.”

  • Missing N10bn: PDP reveals how Buhari, APC are using NHIS to loot treasury

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Thursday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of turning “the National Health Insurance Scheme into their Automated Teller Machine where funds are taken at their conveniences.”

    The party said the nation had yet to recover from past revelations of an alleged withdrawal of N10bn when an alleged fresh plot by the Federal Government to loot another N25bn from the coffers of the scheme was exposed.

    It said that Nigerians were still lamenting the N10bn stolen earlier from the agency’s savings in the Treasury Single Account by the cabal in the presidency.

    The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the APC and the Presidency had been bleeding the nation, adding that the very idea of stealing funds meant to provide health lifeline to the already impoverished Nigerians was agonising and showed that the ruling party had lost all scruples.

    He said, “Our nation is now faced with daily pillaging of our national patrimony by the APC interests and a notorious cabal, who operating under the cover and protection of the Buhari Presidency, have turned our revenue agencies, particularly the NHIS into cash cows to painfully milk funds for the APC’s ill-fated 2019 re-election bid.

    “When we say that this Buhari administration is debauched, many do not realise to what extent. This administration is so brazen in stealing in the NHIS that the Presidency has to recall and reinstate the indicted Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Prof. Usman Yakubu, while he was still being quizzed by the EFCC for alleged corruption.

    “Betraying its complicity in the NHIS racket, the Presidency has refused to speak out on allegations that it reinstated the suspended Executive Secretary to conceal the earlier looting and protect members of the cabal and has also refused to order any form of investigation into the exposed frauds.

    “The magnitude of direct looting that is going on in revenue agencies, such as the NNPC, the Nigerian Ports Authority, Customs, Federal Inland Revenue Services, MDAs and even the TSA already infiltrated by the Presidency cabal and the APC interests, who hide under spurious investment portfolios, inflated concessions, allocations, jobs and other financial sleazes to siphon public funds are better imagined.”

    Ologbondiyan said that in the last three years, the nation had witnessed unparalled impunity to the extent that the President could even unilaterally make approval of releases of public funds without recourse to the legislative instrument of appropriation.

    But the board of the NHIS said it had begun a forensic audit of the accounts of the scheme including the alleged N10bn said to have been removed from the agency’s account which had become a subject of legislative probe.

    A member of the governing council, Senator Bassey Otu, said this during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

    Otu was responding to a question on whether N10bn was really missing from the NHIS account and if the board would investigate the matter among other allegations of misappropriation of funds.

    The board was also asked to reveal how much was really missing from the NHIS’ coffers and if anyone would be punished for any act of malfeasance.

    He said, “Forensic audit has been done and we have looked at all the issues. Definitely people will be called to answer questions, those that have to face some more uniformed people will have to do it and those who have to explain to Nigerians why things went that way will also have to do it.”

    The board member further stated that the funds in the NHIS accounts did not belong to the government but the people.

    He added that ideally, the NHIS should not be part of the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government since the money did not belong to the government but the enrollees.

    Otu said, “The NHIS is an insurance company. The funds should not be in the TSA in the first place. There have been a lot of issues talking about some amounts of money.

    “The money is not enough because the government isn’t paying its full contributions and if you are talking about Universal Health Coverage which other countries are taking very seriously, then we cannot be playing with these matters.”

    Recall that the NHIS had earlier clarified that no N10bn was missing but the money was transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Account and not the TSA thereby causing confusion at the Ministry of Finance.

     

  • FG responds to PDP, lists names of leaders that allegedly looted Nigeria’s treasury

    FG responds to PDP, lists names of leaders that allegedly looted Nigeria’s treasury

    The Federal Government has formally respond to calls by the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to list names of corrupt officials who allegedly stole from the nation’s treasury while it held sway as the ruling party.

    Recall that the National Publicity of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan had on Thursday told Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to either list names of corrupt officials under its administration who allegedly looted the treasury dry or shut up.

    However, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday (today) in a press conference listed names of the alleged corrupt leaders under the PDP.

    Mohammed said he called the press conference because the PDP has challenged the government to name the looters under their watch.

    He also said the PDP had claimed they did not loot the treasury.

    “Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians,” he said.

    The minister then gave a list of top officials of the PDP that he said were looters.

    He said the national chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, on February 19, 2015 received N200 million from the office of then National Security Adviser (NSA).

    “Then PDP Financial Secretary, on the 24th of October 2014, took N600 million only from the office of then NSA

    “Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA,” he said.

    The minister also said a stalwart of the PDP, Raymond Dokpesi, the Chairman of DAAR Communications is also in trial for receiving N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA.

    “Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies.”

    Mohammed said a Federal High Court on Thursday ruled that a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA.

    “This list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this.

    “We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available,” Mr. Mohammed said.

    The minister also said some of the people he mentioned are seeking to plea bargain.

    Recall also that Secondus had within the week apologised to Nigerians on behalf of the PDP for what the party did wrong while it held office.

    The APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, however, called on Nigerians to reject the apology and ask the PDP to first return monies stolen under its watch.

    “We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot.

    “It’s like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologising, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn’t work that way.

    “The PDP is a hypocrite. And that reminds me of what English writer William Hazlitt said: ”The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.” Mohammed said.

    He also said the government will not stop talking about the alleged massive looting by the PDP.

    He said the party brought Nigeria to its present situation.

    “We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it. We will talk about it,” the minister said.

    The PDP was yet to issue any response as at the time of filing this report.