Buhari's
ministers indicted in N2billon bribery scandal
– These are challeneging times for
the Federal Executive Council led by President Muhammadu Buhari
– It seems many of the ministers are
not one the same page with the president as regards his anti-corruption stance
– Daily, Nigerians are regaled with
abuse of office that those bestowed with positions under this government are
involved in
The minister of agriculture and
rural development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and his deputy, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri,
have been named in a N2 billion bribery scandal, according to
Pointblanknews.com.
Heneiken Lokpobiri (L) and Audu
Ogbeh (R)
In an exclusive report by the medium,
the two ministers were said to have been involved in a bribery scheme as
regards a recent part-payment of N15 billion to contractors owed by the
ministry.
According to the report, the
contractors executed projects under the fertilizer subsidy programme – Growth
Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS), initiated by the administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan.
THE GESS programme was initiated by
the Goodluck Jonathan The programme was introduced in order to enhance farmers’
access to subsidised fertilizer.
The scheme is also aimed at
subsidising the costs of major agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and
seedlings for farmers, yam tubers and yam plantation, yam tubers and yam
plantation.
Based on the GESS policy, the
federal and state governments equally contribute the balance of 50 per cent
being the approved subsidy amount for onward payment to participating inputs
(fertilizer) suppliers.
As a standing rule, all
participating states gave an Irrevocable Standing Order (ISO) for their portion
(25%) of the subsidy amount to be deducted directly from their statutory
monthly allocation from the federation account as due. The contractors were
said to be owed N56 billion by the federal and states governments participating
in the programme, although the ministry is said to be in charge of disbursing
funds.
The report stated that following the
release of N350 billion by government for the payment of contractors as
contained in the 2016 budget, the ministry of agriculture and Rural Development
was allocated funds amounting to N15 billion to effect the part-payment to over
50 contractors part of the GESS programme.
The two ministers were said to have
invited the contractors to a meeting after the release of the money and assured
them that they would be paid on “pro-rata” basis. To the amazement of the
contractors, the ministry paid only three contractors. Investigations however
showed that a decision to deduct N2 billion from source and concentrate the
payment on only the three contractors was part of the deal. The three
contractors were paid N13 billion leaving N2billion for the ministers to feast
on.
In reaction, a group named Society
for Good Governance (SGG) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) to investigate the actions of the
ministers.
All eyes are on ICPC boss, Mr Ekpo
Nta to probe the claims of the SGG
The group wrote: “We are, by this petition, asking the ICPC
to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the payment to determine why
the ministers and the permanent secretary reneged on the earlier arrangement to
pay all the contractors who have been owed for many years now and decided to
pay only three contractors.
“We
urge you to look into the deal between the two ministers, the permanent
secretary and the three contractors that resulted in the payment of N13 billion
to them. What happened to the remaining N2 billion. Why renege on the payment
of the other contractors?”, the
group asked.
The allegation is coming barely a
week after it was established that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur
Buratai owns two houses in Dubai.
