Politics
EFCC Accuses Benue Governor of N22bn Fraud .
The EFCC has linked Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to an alleged fraud to the tune of N22bn.This is just as the EFCC revealed that 21 members of the Benue State House of Assembly are under investigation for allegedly diverting N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles that would be used for oversight functions.
The allegations are contained in a report of an investigation which began in 2016 but was made available to punch on Monday.According to the report, the governor, between June 30, 2015 and March 2018, ordered the withdrawal of N21.3bn from four government’s accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank of Nigeria and the United Bank for Africa.
On paper, about N19bn out of the money was said to be meant for the payment of six security agencies that had been deployed in the state to address the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
However, the EFCC stated that less than N3bn of the money was paid to the security agencies while the remainder could not be accounted for. .
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The anti-graft agency said one person identified as Oliver Ntom, withdrew over N19bn from the account of the Bureau of Internal Affairs and Special Services based on the instructions of the Permanent Secretary, Boniface Nyaakor.The money, which was allegedly withdrawn under the pretext of security votes, was said to have been diverted while the memos written in respect of the withdrawal were destroyed.
The funds being spent were not in the budget of the Benue State Government.It further accused the governor of failing to pay salaries despite withdrawing N1.328bn from the Joint State Local Govt Account in Fidelity Bank with number 50**
Meanwhile, the EFCC has invited 21 out of the 30 lawmakers in the Benue State House of Assembly for allegedly diverting part of the N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles in 2016.
According to the anti-graft agency, the Benue State govt had in 2016 awarded a contract worth N417m (N375m after tax) to Mia-Three Nigeria Limited to procure 30 Prado TXL vehicles for the lawmakers.However, only eight members received the vehicles while the others diverted the funds.
News
Buhari Govt Sold Nigeria’s Future, Says Governor Mutfwang
“This government inherited an economy where we simply printed money up to the tune of ₦30 trillion and shared. This government inherited an economy where the crude oil we’re yet to take out of the ground has been sold in advance.
“So when you’re talking about the fall of the naira, it’s not rocket time. We sold our future under the last administration. No wonder you’re hearing of riots today, people intercepting food on the way. We are lucky on the Plateau that perhaps we have more food than many other states.
“And I pray that the time will not come on the Plateau that we will see this kind of riot for food, but it means we must roll over our sleeves and get to work. And that is why, for us as a government, when we announced one of the positions that talked about Food Security, people were laughing but it is a serious issue.” -Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau At Swearing-In Of Special Advisers, Heads Of Govt Agencies
News
After Meeting NGF Chairman, Akpabio Apologies To state Governors Over N30bn Claim
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has finally apologised to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) under the leadership of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State over his comment on the N30bn allowance allegedly given to them to cushion the effect of inflation in food prices.
This was coming after the Senate President held a meeting with the NGF Chairman and some of his counterparts in Abuja yesterday.
Akpabio had, at a plenary sitting last Tuesday, said an “unverified report” indicated that state governors received N30bn each from the Federation Account to cushion the effect of inflation and the high cost of food prices.
The statement has generated controversies in the public space, with some commentators asking governors to come clean about the money they did not collect.
However, on Monday, Akpabio in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, retracted the statement, saying the SP held the governors in high esteem.
The statement reads below:
“During the session, the President of the Senate commented on the payment of an unverified cumulative sum of about N30bn to the sub-national governments by the Federal Government for various interventions to ameliorate the food situation of our citizens at the sub-national governments.
“The unfortunate conjectures to take away the kernel in the material facts of FAAC payment are rather regretted. In considering the well-intended motive of urging state governments to collaborate with the Federal government of President Bola Tinubu to facilitate strategic interventions to mitigate the prevailing economic situation in the country remains the underpinning motivation in the comment.
“The President of the Senate is not oblivious to the fact that state governments are functional partners in all the efforts of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu and are also valuable stakeholders’ in the various legislative engagements of the legislature in creating the nexus between the legislature and the people.”
Eyiboh added that Akpabio has always demonstrated commitment to team building and shall not do less in the circumstance.
He, therefore, urged the sub-national governments not to be distracted by any misunderstanding of the context and true meaning of the statement.
He added, “The President of the Senate recognises and appreciates the current efforts of the governors at ameliorating the adverse effects of the current inclement socio-economic environment and therefore invites more hands on the plow to complement the renewed hope agenda.”
News
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