A COUSIN of former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje was allegedly paid over N1.4 billion in six years to supply food to the Government House, the Federal High Court in Jos has been told.
A prosecution witness, Saliu Sambo, who is a director of Administration and Finance in Gombe State, gave evidence on details of food supply from 2003 to 2011 during Goje’s administration.
Goje is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged conspiracy and money laundering.
Led in evidence by EFCC’s lawyer Wahab Shittu, Sambo said the food contractor was the former governor’s cousin.
According to him, N1,451,682,518.6 was paid to the contractor between 2003 and 2011.
Another witness, Mohammed Balbaya, a cashier at the Government House, confirmed that the food contractor was paid N1,451,682,518.6 between 2003 and 2011.
He said he prepared the cheques based on approval from the Accountant-General and handed them to the contractor.
Another witness, an Assistant Director, Finance and Account, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), tendered a certified true copy of Federal Government’s Approved Guidelines for Accessing and Utilisation of the UBE Intervention Fund, issued in March 2006.
He also tendered a copy of Federal Ministry of Education Circular of September 9, 2008 and signed by Goke Adegboroye, titled: “Re: Review of the disbursement formula of the Federal Government’s two per cent of Consolidated Revenue Fund as Intervention to the UBE Programme”.
The witness informed the court that as the Assistant Director of Finance, he was in charge of disbursement of funds to states.
Adegboroye said the supply of dictionaries, allegedly done under the Goje administration, was not covered by the guidelines.
He added that under the guidelines, a state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) cannot supply dictionaries as that would amount to over-stepping it bounds.
According to the witness, the provisions/paragraphs of the guidelines are sacrosanct and inviolable, adding that not even UBEC can waive the conditions.
Adegboroye further stated that a subsequent memo, which was generated and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on August 27, 2008, directed that as from 2009, no state was allowed to buy and distribute textbooks or any instructional materials to schools.
The witness said the action plans submitted by Gombe State SUBEB were, in effect, not in order.
The court also heard that Gombe SUBEB advertised for the supply of textbooks to schools, whereas the action plans sent to UBEC related to the supply of dictionaries.
Another prosecution witness, a Principal Manager in the Development Finance Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yetunde Ofili, tendered Guidelines for Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme issued by the CBN, which was admitted in evidence.
The guideline detailed modalities for establishment of the scheme, funding, objectives, governance of the scheme, among others.
The witness said any change in the use of the facility must be approved in writing by the CBN to the participating banks.
Ofili said under the scheme, N1billion was approved for disbursement to Gombe through Union Bank during the Goje administration and that it was repaid.
According to the witness, approval was given by CBN, but that the purpose of the loan was changed to “fertiliser procurement”.
The witness said she was not in a position to give evidence on how the N1billion was utilised.
When asked to produce the written approval, she said there was e-mail correspondence to that effect which can be made available by the CBN.
Justice Babatunde Quadri adjourned until November 20 and 21 for continuation of trial.