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Tag: Ecological Fund

  • ‘Fed Govt committed to judicious application of ecological fund’

    ‘Fed Govt committed to judicious application of ecological fund’

    The House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund has promised to ensure that appropriated funds are disbursed accordingly and utilised judiciously.

    The committee, led by its Vice Chairman, Oyedeji Oyeshina, was in Lagos at the weekend for an on-the-spot assessment of some erosion-prone areas.

    Other members of the committee who were in the state included Paul Nnamchi, Kafilat Ogbara, Ahmed Doro, Hassan Abubakar, Yakubu Noma, Abdullahi Gwarzo, Patrick Umoh, Aminu Aliyu Gari, Hassan Jakduwa, Aminu Ibrahim Kafu, and Danladi Aguye.

    They visited Orimolade Street, off College Road; Alade Bucknor Estate, off Fagba Road, both in Ogba; Sango Toll Gate Bridge on the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, as well as Maidan/Agiliti areas in Ketu.

    Addressing reporters after the tour, Oyeshina said: “We had visited some states in the North and East and we are now in the Southwest. We recognise erosion as a part of the effects of climate change and so we have to ensure that funds allocated to combat it must be used judiciously.

    “The Federal Government decided to pause on the allocation of funds to allow the committee conduct a holistic assessment and advise it on subsequent disbursement as appropriate.

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    “Part of our mandate is to ensure that all communities affected by erosion and other ecological issues are adequately catered for when the funds are allocated.

    “The Federal Government will not relent but will continue to collaborate with all states to perform its responsibilities of maintaining a safe and sustainable environment for all.”

    Environment and Water Resources Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab said he hoped residents of the erosion-prone areas would have cause to enjoy benefit from the funds.

    “I believe that very soon, our people will enjoy the benefits of this fund. According to the vice chairman, the Federal Government deliberately paused the disbursement of ecological funds, which shows that it plans to rework the allocation process to make it more effective,” Wahab added.

  • Ekiti community benefits from Ecological Fund Project

    Osin Ekiti in Ikole Local government Area of Ekiti State has benefited from the Ecological Fund projects as parts of federal government’s intervention to control ecological challenges.

    The project is one of the 13 ecological projects approved by Buhari for the Fourth Quarter, 2017.

    President Muhammadu Buhari said at the inauguration and handing over of Ote River Channelisation, Erosion Control and Access Road  in Osin Ekiti executed by the FG through Ecological Fund Office that the project was geared towards improving the welfare of Nigerians at the grassroot.

    Buhari, who was represented by Senator Ajayi Borofice said the wastefulness that erstwhile characterised Ecological Fund had been crushed by his administration.

    He added the project was clear demonstration of his commitment to the development and bringing the presence of the Federal Government to the rural areas.

    “I have been familiar with the Ecological Fund since when I was in the public service and I know how it is being administered. You can hardly find any tangible project being done by the Ecological Fund, but since the Buhari administration took off, the Ecological Fund is now being used for the people.

    “This project is expected to check flooding and erosion menace in the communities around its environs.

    “The age-long problem of gully erosion and flooding in this part of the country cannot be overemphasized. I have no doubt the Federal Government intervention programme will bring a huge relief to communities which had for a very long time been stressed by these ecological challenges.

    “With this project, the living standards of the people in the communities within its environs would be enhanced. This would at the same time reduce dangers to lives and properties associated with erosion and persistent flooding that had been experienced in recent times,” Borrofice said.

    The Olosin of Osin Ekiti, Oba Eniayewo Oyediran and the President of Osin Progressive Union, Elder Patrick Olayemi, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for considering the town for the project, promising to take good care of the project for sustainability.

  • NEMA rejects House report on mismanagement of N33b, ecological fund

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA ) yesterday rejected the report of the House of Representatives committee which indicted it of poor management of relief items meant for 16 states.

    In a statement last night, NEMA said:  “The House of Representatives, at its sitting of 8th November 2018 received the Report of the House Committee on Emergency and Preparedness Response on the alleged violation of public trust against the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    “We were shocked to hear some of the findings and conclusions presented by the Committee on the issues, which did not reflect the facts and documents placed before it by NEMA.

    “While we shall in due course be making a more comprehensive response to all the points made, it is most important to clarify the following:

    “On the Port Clearance and Transportation of Emergency Food Assistance by Chinese Government, the Federal Government received a total of 6,779MT of Rice for IDPs in the North East as donation by the Chinese Government. This amounted to 271 containers, which arrived Apapa Ports between June and October 2017.

    “The processes of securing duty exemption, waivers and other related issues took several months, but the total quantity was subsequently cleared from the Apapa Port, transported and delivered to NEMA warehouses in the North East. It was thereafter distributed to the IDPs in the States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. Documents on the transaction, including distribution to the IDPs were made available to the Committee.

    “The correct total value of the rice is about N2.25 Billion (50 Million Chinese Yuan) and the amount spent on clearing, demurrage and storage was about N450 Million, not the N800 Million as alleged by the Committee.

    “On EFCC Investigation of the suspended staff (employees) of NEMA, the suspension of the Six (6) NEMA officers was a decision of its Governing Council based on the Interim Report of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which indicted them for financial misappropriation.

    “The suspension was in line with Public Service Rules and the extant Guidelines on Appointment, Promotion and Discipline.

    “On the approval of N1.6 billion granted by the Federal Government for the Procurement and Delivery of Relief Items to 16 States affected by Flood in 2017, due process was observed in the procurement of the relief items and all items meant for the 16 states were received and acknowledged by respective State Governments. Documents evidencing the acknowledgement of the items were made available to the House Committee.

    “The evacuation of stranded Nigerians from Libya was a multi-agency operation. Two Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty (2,130) Nigerians were evacuated in the operation.

    I’m the report, the House committee recommended the sack of NEMA Managing Director Mustapha Maihaja.

    “Based on the investigation conducted by the Committee, it has been established that the Federal Government of Nigeria lost a total sum of over N33 billion as a result of mismanagement of funds occasioned by the actions or inactions of the Managing Director of NEMA.

    ” It is consequently recommended that the Director General be relieved of his duties by the President, Commander in Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria and be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution,” the report of the committee said.

    The House also resolved to launch a comprehensive investigation into the receipt and utilization of 20 per cent Ecological Fund to NEMA over the years.

    While considering the Hon. Ali Isa-headed committee’s report on “Need to Investigate the Violation of Public Trust in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” also adopted the recommendations that:

    “On the issue of donation of 6,779 metric tons of rice by Chinese Government for IDP’s in the North East, the House said the EFCC and ICPC should further investigate NEMA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Budget and National Planning as it was never received by the beneficiaries.

    “that the ICPC, EFCC and Police should ensure recovery of the payment of about N800m demurrage from the concerned officers of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and NEMA.

    “that the suspension of six staff of NEMA by its management is an abuse of power, against the extant public service rules and a gross violation of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “That the affected staff (employees) be immediately re-instated by NEMA and the appropriate authorities and all their arrears of entitlements paid: Mr.  Akinbola Hakeem -Director, Finance and Accounts, Alhassan Nuhu – Director Disaster & Risk Reduction, Mr. Emenike Umesi – Ag. Director, Special Duties, Mohammed Kanar -Deputy Director Welfare, Mr. Mamman Ibrahim  – DD Captain of the Air Ambulance and Yunusa Deji Ganiyu – Asst. Chief Administrative Officer.”

    “That the ICPC and EFCC should further investigate the matter and recover the sum of N700m from Maihaja, who is the Accounting Officer of the Agency.”

    “That all the government officials involved in the approval, processing, release and diversion of the sum of N5.8billion for the emergency intervention of food security in the North East, which contravened the provisions of S.80(2) and 80(4) of the Constitution, infraction of due process for procurement and loss of government revenue, flouting of the terms of the Eurobond loan are hereby indicted and the relevant Security Agencies should take steps to recover the money from them;

    “That the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) being a banker to the Federal Government should not be involved in giving loans to private companies. Consequently, the N2billion said to be given to four named companies is a fundamental infraction and should be further investigated.”

    On the issue of release of N3, 153,000,000.00 to NEMA for food intervention to the North-East, the House recommended

    “that ICPC and EFCC should recover N1,150,000,000.00 being subsidised cost of 5000 metric tons of rice from the present Director General of NEMA, Eng. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, who claimed to have donated same to World Food Programme (WFP) when they were ready to pay for it or import same;

    On the question of unaccounted N17, 889,050,401 released from Ecological Fund to NEMA, the House recommended:

    “That NEMA should submit through the appropriate authority all the Ecological funds accruing to it yearly to the National Assembly for Appropriation in order to meet the Constitutional requirements.

    “That a comprehensive investigation into the receipt and utilization of 20% Ecological Fund to NEMA over the years be carried out by the House.”

  • Presidency assures timely release of Ecological fund

    Presidency assures timely release of Ecological fund

    Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, says President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will ensure the timely release of the Ecological Fund to States to address pressing ecological challenges in their localities.

    Shehu, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

    The statement, which was signed by Mr Atta Esah, Deputy Director (Information), State House, said Shehu spoke at an audience participation programme on FRCN Kaduna, entitled: ‘Hannu Da Yawa’.

    He pledged that the presidency would continue to assist flood victims across the country.

    The presidential aide added that the administration would under no circumstances abandon its humanitarian obligations to alleviate the distress of flood victims.

    ‘‘In spite of Nigeria’s technological limitations and the paucity of funds to handle or manage large scale and complex emergencies, the APC administration will leave no stone unturned in offering succour to victims of natural disasters across the country,’’ he said.

    According to Shehu, an aide to the presidency, it is the right of citizens to demand the judicious use of the Ecological Fund, which is distributed among the three tiers of government from the Federation Account.

    ‘‘The largest chunk of the Fund goes to the States and Local Governments. Every month, States and Local Governments receive 1.4 per cent from the Federation account as Ecological Fund, compared to the Federal Government’s share of 1 per cent.

    ‘‘From the 1 per cent the Federal Government gets, NEMA takes 20 per cent for its operation,’’ he said.

    He noted that lately, disaster management in the country was gradually being ceded to the Federal Government by other tiers of government.

    ‘‘Whenever there is an emergency from natural or man-made disasters, all you hear is ‘where is Buhari, what is he doing?

    “What happens with the other tiers of government?”

    The presidential aide, therefore, enjoined Nigerians, at the state and local government levels, to always demand for transparency and accountability in the management of ecological funds by their Governors and Local Government Chairmen.

    ‘‘Without accountability by local political leaders, the Federal government would continue to be the scapegoat for the failure of states and local governments to use ecological funds for the purposes they were released,’’ he said.

    Shehu said the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation had also been mandated to step up the provision of relief infrastructure to those in need.

    The presidency, had on Aug. 31, directed the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) to immediately mobilise personnel and resources to come to the aid of the victims of the flooding in Benue where over 100,000 persons were displaced and many communities submerged as a result of downpour in the state.

  • Ecological Fund

    •National Assembly should strengthen the institutions of the fund to prevent abuses 

    THE altercation between Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and former President Goodluck Jonathan over the latter’s disbursement of the ecological fund a few years ago has brought to the fore the need to strengthen the law as well as institutions for the disbursement of the fund.

    Realising the susceptibility of the environment to occasional crisis, the Shehu Shagari administration established the ecological fund for rapid deployment in times of crises. The fund was originally established in 1981 through the Federation Account Act (1981), based on the recommendation of the Okigbo Commission. The Act has subsequently been modified by Decrees 36 of 1984 and 106 of 1992; and further modified through the Allocation of Revenue/Federation Account, etc (modification) order of  July 8, 2002.

    However, 36 years after, the fund has failed to play its assigned roles effectively. It is now only another fund for sharing by the tiers of government, with all parts of the country thus exposed to despoliation by desertification, erosion, flooding, drought, oil spillage, general environmental pollution, storms, landslides and bush fire, among others.

    Years after the Bakolori and Ogunpa incidents of the Second Republic that largely accounted for the setting up of the fund, worse incidents have occurred in different parts of the country. The erosion crisis in the South East continues daily to threaten lives, with little being done to check it. Ogunpa River channelisation is yet to be completed many years after the first tragic crisis. The Ogun River is always a threat to farms and property in Lagos and Ogun states.

    The devastation following the deluge of rains and consequent flooding nationwide in 2012 left such tell-tale signs that the federal and state governments must take urgent steps to forestall a recurrence. A National Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee, co-chaired by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, had to be set up immediately to ameliorate the situation. But, only little could be done to offer succour to victims.

    Now that the National Economic Council, comprising all governors, the Central Bank governor and the ministers of finance and economic planning, have revealed that former President Jonathan subverted the fund by turning it into reward for friendly state governments, releasing N2 billion to each of 17 states controlled by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its allies in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Labour Party (LP), something has to be done to prevent a repeat. It is not enough to compensate states deprived by the earlier disbursement, as the Federal Government has planned, even though this would appear the right thing to do in the circumstance.

    First, it must be noted that the decision to share the money in the Ecological Fund Account is condemnable. It negates the reason for setting it up. It is also illegal as it flies in the face of Chapter A15 (5) (4) of the Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account etc) Act that says, “An amount equivalent to two per cent of the Federation Account shall be paid into a fund to be administered by an Agency to be set up for that purpose for the amelioration of general ecological problem in any part of Nigeria, in accordance with directives as may be issued from time to time by the National Assembly.” The agency, the Ecological Fund Office (EFO) should be strengthened to apply funds directly, in the same manner as the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    The inability to faithfully audit the fund is an indictment of the National Assembly, the Auditor-General of the Federation and the Presidency.

    While deprecating the action of Dr. Jonathan and leaders who had misapplied the money accruing to the fund over the years, we call on the National Assembly to review extant laws with a view to ensuring that the money is not easily diverted to other uses again. The discretion granted the president to determine the purposes for which it is applied should be withdrawn, while the EFO should be returned to the Federal Ministry of Environment for supervision. Two per cent of our national wealth is too substantial to be left to the whims and caprices of one man.

    At a time when climate change, global warming and natural disasters are in focus globally, Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind. If we neglect the environment today, we will pay a heavy price tomorrow, depending on the benevolence of other states.

  • Jonathan tackles El-Rufai over Ecological Fund

    Jonathan tackles El-Rufai over Ecological Fund

    …Says El-Rufai lied

     

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday disagreed with Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai over how the Ecological fund was utilized under his administration.

    El-Rufai on Thursday after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja had claimed that Jonathan gave N2 billion each from the Ecological fund to PDP states without any emergency or ecological needs.

    But Jonathan on Friday replied that El-Rufai has an incurable knack for lying, which he said has been proven by El-Rufai’s boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Jonathan, in a statement by his Media Adviser Ikechukwu Eze, said that Obasanjo had described El-Rufai in his book-My Watch Volume 2 as follows: “Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? He is brilliant and smart. I grant him that also. Very
    early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent and brilliance. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai. He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I
    heard the story of what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force who is senior to him in age.”

    With such a description, the statement said Jonathan was not surprised at El-Rufai’s recent comments after the just concluded National Economic Council meeting where he
    accused former President Jonathan of only sharing the National Ecological Fund to PDP States.

    El-Rufai had said “What President Goodluck Jonathan did was to take N2bn each from the
    Ecological Fund and gave to some PDP states. Any PDP state that was not his friend, like Kano and Kwara, didn’t get.”

    Jonathan’s spokesman said “It is so easy to expose Malam Nasir El-Rufai as a liar being that
    Akwa-Ibom, a PDP state governed by the then Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and a close confidante and major supporter of the then President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, did not get the monies alluded to by Malam El-Rufai from the Ecological Fund as did multiple
    other PDP states including Ekiti state, a state governed by a thoroughbred patriot and Jonathan supporter, Ayo Fayose.

    “Also, it is false that non-PDP states did not get monies from the fund. Nemesis catches up faster with liars than any other agent of evil.  El-Rufai was probably led by the gods against his own sinister plot to confess in another breathe that States under non-PDP parties like APGA and Labour party also benefitted.

    “The fact remains that the Ecological Fund is a specialized fund with certain constitutional requirements which must be met before a state can access the funds. Every state benefitted from the fund under President Jonathan who bent over backwards to accommodate states that
    had difficulty meeting the criteria for accessing the fund.

    “El-Rufai’s sinister narrative was intentionally silent on the over N10 billion specially deployed to fund  the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in some northern states, in view of the need to work with the rest of Africa on the African initiative to check desert encroachment in the
    Sahelian states. These states included Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Adamawa.

    “Others are Yobe, Borno and Kano which belong to Mallam El-Rufai’s class of ‘non-friendly’ states that he alleged never benefitted from any discretionary fund.

    “Similar principle applies to the conditions for accessing the Universal basic Education fund where some states have not had access to what is due them, because they are yet to fulfill the mandatory criteria for allocation. Would it then be right in the name of El-Rufai’s position on equity to blame the failure of those states to access their UBEC funds on Jonathan?

    He said that it is really sad that judicious presidential interventions to tackle emergencies and other pressing national needs are being interrogated in a rather facile manner, by those who never got tired of playing dirty politics.

    He urged Nigerians to recall that it was not the first time that El-Rufai has vented his known passion for lying against the former President.

    “The public will recall that in October 2015 he falsely alleged that former President Jonathan spent a whopping N64 billion on Independence Day celebrations, during his tenure when in fact only N333 million was spent.

    “Nigerians may also recall that this same El-Rufai falsely accused former President Jonathan and former CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of founding and funding Boko Haram to the tune of N50 billion.

    “We can only wonder what new false accusation El-Rufai may come up with tomorrow, as with him it is a case of one day, one lie!

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” whenever this notorious liar opens his mouth,” he stated.

     

  • Disquiet in Kogi over curious withdrawal of N450m Ecological Fund

    There is disquiet in Kogi State over alleged curious withdrawal of N450million from the state’s Ecological Fund account without due process.

    The cash was withdrawn without the State Executive Council in place as required by the enabling law.

    The account was drawn about two and a half weeks before the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered judgement on the polls that brought Governor Yahaya Bello to power.

    But it was unclear last night what the cash was used for.

    Investigation showed the cash was drawn on May 16, 2016 from the Ecological Fund Account Number: 1016623580 domiciled in UBA.

    The account had a balance of N706, 102, 350.21 as at January 19, 2016.

    A top source said: “The law governing the Ecological Fund says it must be discussed and approved by the State Executive Council.

    “When the cash was withdrawn by government, there was no State Executive Council in place.

    “There was no emergency ecological challenge in the state to have warranted such a huge spending.

    “What is more baffling is that the cash was accessed barely two and a half weeks before the tribunal judgment on Kogi Governorship poll.

    “The people of Kogi State want the state government to account for the whereabouts of the N450million.

    “We want the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to pay attention to the ongoing developments before the state becomes bankrupt.”

    Another source alleged that the state government is becoming reckless with public funds.

    The source said the state recently secured a loan of N2.4bn froma commercial bank for Sustainable Development Goals.

    “They’ve started spending the money despite not getting the required counterpart funding,” the source said.

    He added: “The state government tried to withdraw another N450m from the infrastructure loan account with a bank but they refused, citing CBN guidelines that require transfers directly to contractors.

    “Since then the state government has been using a Lebanese contractor to draw down on the funds.

    “There is an abuse of the system and no respect for due process. For example, Agasa road in Okene LGA was awarded to  aconstruction firm  without following due process at a total cost N3.2billion with about N1.2 billion mobilization fee already paid.

    “Apart from the construct ion of nine roundabouts at a cost of N100m each, a Prado jeep cost the state government N78million. The weekly cost of cleaning Government House is N16m.”

  • Jonathan exempted APC states from N2billion ecological funds – Oshiomhole

    Jonathan exempted APC states from N2billion ecological funds – Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole on Thursday disclosed that All Progressives Congress (APC) states were exempted from the N2 billion ecological fund released to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) states by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    According to him, the last administration was discriminatory against some state governors in the distribution of bailout funds.

    He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of governors’ meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    In the face of the worsening state of the economy, Oshiomhole, however said that President Buhari has remained a rallying point for all state governments in the country irrespective of political affiliation.

    He said: “We are very lucky to have President Buhari at this time. I have been here now for seven and half years and I have had the opportunity to work with three Presidents,  that is the truth.

    “Under the last President it would have been impossible for us to approach Abuja to give us support because we have personal challenges. We have been given lectures on fiscal responsibility and all those kind of talks, even though the wastage was more here than any other place at that time.

    “We have a President who recognises that he is not just President of the federal government he is the president of the federation of which the states are part and regardless of our political affiliation, this is very important, everybody is able to ask this President to give him support and he is giving.

    “Whereas, in the recent past some PDP governors got N2 billion from ecology fund, we APC governors were not given.  But we promised to be different and I am happy this president is showing that difference,” he added.

    On the new proposal for increase of minimum wage by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), he said that he always believe in a living wage for workers.

    The governor said that he has been able to pay Edo State wor‎kers’ salaries despite the financial crunch because of his belief that their wages ranked high in terms of priorities for his government.

    According to him, there was no need for him to borrow to pay salaries as he had increased revenue generation from taxing the wealthy more in the state.

  • How Dariye shared looted Plateau State’s N1.162b – Witness

    How Dariye shared looted Plateau State’s N1.162b – Witness

    Four about three hours Tuesday, a witness in the trial of former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dairye gave details of how he allegedly shared to political associates the sum of N1.162billion he obtained from the Ecological Fund in the name of the state.

    Reeling out names and figures from documents submitted to the court, including Dariye’s statement made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the witness, Musa Sunday explained how Dariye allegedly shared the N1.162b he obtained in 2004 as a governor.

    Dariye, who served between 1999 and 2007, is being prosecuted for allegedly diverting Plateau State’s funds while in office as governor.

    Sunday, an investigator with the EFCC was cross-examined by Dariye’s lawyer, Garba Pwul (SAN).

    He said investigations by his team of investigators assigned to the Dariye case, revealed that the ex-governor gave N100m  to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who was then the coordinator of the Ecological Fund; N100m to South-West PDP, which was received by then Minister of Special Duties, Yomi Edu, N80m to then permanent Secretary of the Ecological Fund  agency in the Presidency, Kingsley Nkoma; N10m  to former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, N6.8m to PDP Plateau State and N66m to 274 PDP wards in the state.

    Sunday, who is the first prosecution witness, read out where Dariye confirmed the distribution of the money among his political associates in a statement he wrote to the EFCC in July 2007.

    “The Ecological Fund is under the Presidency, but the Office of the Vice President oversees it and Chairs the Funds activities. The Vice President at that time was Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.

    When given Dariye’s statement to read, the witness read from page 10 of the statement marked exhibit P13 (a) how Dariye gave a breakdown of how he disbursed the N1.162b received from the Ecological Fund

    The witness said Dariye informed him that gave Senator Mantu, who was then a Deputy Senate President, N10m; PDP, Plateau State, N6.8m, while N66m was distributed 274 wards of PDP in the state.

    Sunday also read from page 11 of the statement, where Dariye said the N100m given to PDP Southwest was received by Yomi Edu (then Minister for Special Duties), while the N100m paid to Marine Float Limited, was given to Vice President Atiku.

    “In the course of investigation, Marine Float was found to be a company owned by the former President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. As at when the money was paid, the Vice President was the Chairman of Ecological Fund,” the witness said.

    He denied knowledge whether the N100m was recovered was recovered from Atiku.

    When Pwul suggested to the witness that the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo returned to plateau State in 2004, the 100m paid to the South West PDP by Dariye, the witness denied knowledge of such development.

    He said further investigation on the issue also revealed that Dariye paid N80m to the then Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Fund, Kingsley Nkoma N80m “for facilitating the prompt release of the N162b.

    “The N80m paid in favour of Union Savings and Loan, was traced to Kingsley Nkoma, Permanent Secretary of Ecological Fund. We recovered the N80m from Nkoma, who said that was his share for facilitating the release of the money. That was the bribe he collected.

    “Investigation proved, while he was invited, that the N80m paid to him through Union Savings and Loan was bribe money paid to him by the defendant. The money was recovered from him. The N80m registered from Nkoma is registered as Exhibit and it is with the EFCC. When we invited him, Nkoma said that that was his share of the money and he was made to return it.”

    The witness reiterated his earlier claim that Dariye made his banker, All States Trust Bank (now defunct) to conceal his identity. He said their investigation revealed that the mandate card for the account allegedly operated by a firm linked to Dariye – Ebenezer Ritnan Venture – did not carry anybody’s photograph as required. He said they were able to uncover the company’s true ownership by Dariye’s signature on the mandate form.

    He said Dariye allegedly diverted his share of the N1.162b into the company’s account.

    The witness said the bank and its officials, who claimed to have granted Dariye waiver by not including his photograph in the account opening documents, have since been convicted by a Federal High Court in Kaduna for aiding fraud.

    “In the course of investigation, we found the waiver granted Dariye not to be proper, and as a result, the maker, the Account Officer, A. Awe Odesa was charged before the FHC, Kaduna. The issue of the waiver was part of the charge.”

    The trial resumes Wednesday at 12 noon.

  • Fund partner school, communities on waste disposal

    Fund partner school, communities on waste disposal

    The Ecological Fund Office (EFO) is partnering with Schools, Communities and Environmental Club to strengthen the public awareness/enlightenment on proper waste disposal.

    Speaking at a national sensitization centre in Kano, Onitsha and Ibadan for Secondary Schools Environmental Club, Director (Pollution Control) Mr. S.I. Yakassai, said the public awareness/enlightenment programme was organised to create awareness on the importance of effective and proper waste disposal/dangers of inappropriate disposal of wastes and consequently formed clubs that will help in sustaining the awareness in our schools.

    Represented by the CEO & Co-Founder, First Western Recycling Ltd, Mr. Emmanuel Petersen, the Director urged the participants to explore best options for effective waste disposal.

    According to Yakassai, attaining sustainable development required public awareness, enlightenment and implementation of appropriate environmental policies, laws, regulations and standards that combined natural resources protection and management initiatives.

    He added: “It also requires adequate waste disposal, sensitization and retooling of those who will interpret and enforce the laws, as well as adequate public awareness participation and implementation of waste disposal laws.”

    He said many waste disposal laws and regulations in the past have suffered weak attention due to inadequate institutional arrangement, Environmental Summit/Conferences, poor education and awareness.

    “For waste disposal to be well managed in the country, it will entail proper management and existence of a sound awareness, enlightenment and legal framework to support effective and robust institutions that will regulate illegal refuse disposal,” he added.

    He said public awareness/enlightenment through schools and environmental club` is a capacity building of the pupils will not only enhance the proper way of waste disposal and improve sound environmental management and approaches in the application of green principles, but it will also develop an environmental sustainability.