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Tag: Reps probe

  • $43m Ikoyi cash: NIA, NSA, CBN, EFCC shun Reps’ probe

    $43m Ikoyi cash: NIA, NSA, CBN, EFCC shun Reps’ probe

    THE suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, National Security Adviser Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele yesterday failed to honour the invitation of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

    The House had given the Aminu Sani Jaji-headed committee the mandate to investigate the huge cash discovery through a resolution on April 26 and gave the committee two weeks to report to it for further legislative action.

    The committee’s resolution came after President Muhammadu Buhari set up a three-man investigative panel headed by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to unravel the mystery surrounding the discovery of the amount.

    The committee expressed dissatisfaction that the four parties did not communicate reasons for their absence and issued  24-hour summons to compel their appearance today.

    But, Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, Wole Oke (Osun PDP), in a statement, warned of the dire consequence the probe might have on the country’s security, if not well-handled.

    His statement said “the investigative hearing, its reports, findings and recommendations should be treated with utmost confidentiality. This will reduce or totally eliminate that risks of inadvertently revealing highly classified national security information to the public, foreign intelligence and counter-intelligence agents within and outside Nigeria, which could significantly hurt our national security.

    “We must always avert our minds to the sacred provisions of Section 45(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which treats interest of defence, public safety and public order with utmost primacy.”

    On April 12, the EFCC uncovered local and foreign currencies totalling about 43.4 million  USD, 27,800 GBP and N23.2 million in a flat located on the 7th floor of Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The money was claimed by the NIA, which eventually resulted in the suspension of its director general and constitution of a three-man investigative panel, headed by the Vice President and a resolution by the House to investigate the issue.

     

     

  • Reps to probe power assets’ sale

    The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to investigate the sale of power assets to ‘portfolio business men,’ arguing that the power distibution companies (DisCos) lacked financial and technical capacity to run the firms.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance raised by  Aliyu Madaki  (APC, Kano),  who said there was nothing to justify the 45 per cent hike in February hike in electricity tariff as there was no improvement in power supply across the country. He spoke against the backdrop of alleged plans by the DisCos to implement a fresh tariff hike.

    He said: “If the proposed hike is not put on halt, it’s multiplying effect on the economy and the social well being of Nigeria cannot be quantified”.

    Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila  said the DisCos have not displayed any technical knowledge of the operations they were engaged in, in addition to lacking the financial capacity to run their operations.

    Calling for a review of the sale of the country’s power assets, he said:  “It is a scam as Nigerians pay heavily without obligation on the part of the DisCos. They believed that they have powerful people that will protect their interest.

    “They do not have the financial capacity or the technical know how. When you talk about investors, you consider institutional investors, not portfolio businessmen.”

    On his part, Phillip Shuaibu  (APC, Edo)  regretted that the perennial poor supply of power in the country has contributed hugely and directly on the rising rate of unemployment in the country.

    “As a result of this poor power supply, several businesses were being forced out of operations because they cannot break even by using alternative sources of power supply,” he said.

    There was report that the DisCos have written to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory (NERC) requesting 100 per cent hike in tariff. The House mandated its Committee on Power to investigate the justification behind the last increase, and ascertain if the increase is commensurate with the investments by the DisCos in the power sector.

    The motion was referred to  the ad hoc Committee on the Sale of Power Assets after it was put to a voice vote and adopted by the House.

  • Reps probe Fed Govt’s use of N1. 6 trn Service Wide Vote

    Reps probe Fed Govt’s use of N1. 6 trn Service Wide Vote

    The House of Representatives has said it is determined to lay bare the manner in which N1.6 trillion service wide votes in the 2013 budget is being utilised.

    House Committee on Public Accounts Chairman Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, during the Hot Seat interview session of the House of Representatives Press Corps yesterday, described the fund as nebulous and without description.

    The Service Wide Vote, according to Adeola, constitutes 40 per cent of the annual budget and has no doubt been subjected to abuse and mismanagement by the Executive.

    He said the SWV in the 2013 budget amounts to N1.6 trillion, adding that while the performance of the Capital projects component of the 2013 budget stands at 28 percent and recurrent at 72 per cent, the performance of the Service Wide Votes, which, he said, is spent at the discretion of the President, stands at 90 percent.

    The lawmaker wondered why the SWV, which is meant for contingencies, should exceed 5 percent of the national budget.

    According to him, the vote is being used as a slush fund, the use of which is shrouded and without transparency.

    “Its disbursement is characterised by irregularities and fraud. I challenge them (the Executive) to a debate on the use of the Service Wide Vote,” Adeola said.

    He revealed that while some MDAs have as low as 30 per cent releases/ performance of their capital budgets, the releases via the SWV for same MDAs sometimes reach 70 percent and above.

    He expressed dissatisfaction on the manner the Service Wide Vote is being utilised annually by the Federal Government, saying, “Let us reduce the service wide votes or cancel it, and this will improve budget performance in this country. What are these funds being used for? Service Wide vote should not be more than five per cent of the national budget.”

    The Reps committee chair flayed the profligate use of the SWV.

    “For instance, there was a release of N257 billion to the Account General’s office in one particular year and N157 billion in another year under the service wide vote. What were these funds uses for?”

    He said his committee has written a full report on the issue will be laid before the House at plenary soon.

    While speaking on the issue of the controversial N255 million bullet-proof cars purchased for the Minister on Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, he said: “It is true that Ministries are trampling on agencies under them and collecting monies not budgeted for.

    “We have told the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), give us your statement of accounts for the last 5 years. We are looking at Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to as regards the Bilateral Air Services Agreement ( BASA) funds, its inflow and outflow for the past 5 years. They will have to come with documents, vouchers, approvals etc.

    “It is not that the Committee is not aware of the accounts of the NCAA or FAAN but it will interest you to know that the Chief Executives of these agencies have been avoiding the Committee.

    “They were always claiming to be out of the country in order not to appear before us but henceforth, the Committee has designed another template for invitation whereby documentary evidence must be provided by those we summon, else we apply the full wrath of the law.

    “This Committee is the only one mentioned in the constitution; so, we are not here to grand stand.

    “We are also looking at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). It is on first line charge and generates over N200 billion annually. How has these funds been used? We are looking at these issues.”

  • Amaechi versus Mbu: Reps probe Rivers security crisis

    Amaechi versus Mbu: Reps probe Rivers security crisis

    The House of Representatives is disturbed by the degenerating security situation in Rivers State, following the face-off between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu.

    The House, also yesterday named a 14-man ad hoc Committee to investigate oil theft .

    The lawmakers mandated House Committees on Police Affairs and Justice to liaise with the Police Affairs Commission, the Inspector General of Police(IGP) and the Rivers State Government to fashion out ways of improving the working relationship between the Rivers State Police and the state government. They are to report back to the House within one week.

    Peter Edeh (ANPP, Ebonyi), who raised the motion as a matter of urgent public importance, said: “The motion was meant to find means of guaranteeing safety of the people of the state based on the prevailing circumstances because a former militant has raised the alarm that there is a build- up of arms in the state.

    “This is not good for the state because both the governor and the police chief can guarantee their own safety but the safety of the masses is not guaranteed.”

    Edeh reeled out instances of altercations between the two whereby the governor dared the police chief to shoot him while the Police chief labelled the governor dictator.

    “Those statements have shown that the working relationship has completely broken down between the two.

    “Meanwhile, Section 14 (l)b of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) empowers the governor to give directives to the Police Commissioner, but in this instance, the question is, ‘has the governor given such directive?’ We don’t know,” Edeh added.

    He noted that it is more worrisome that Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar has so far refrained from addressing this matter or commenting on it publicly.

    The lawmaker noted that on the basis of the prevailing circumstances, the legislators’ intervention became imperative.

    Edeh said: “We need to intervene if we want Rivers State to be safe and the people sleep with their two eyes closed”.

    Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, who presided, put the motion to voice vote and it was unanimously carried.

    Ihedioha announced the 14-member ad hoc committee on the investigation of oil theft with Bashir Adamu, Chairman Committee on Defence as Chairman.

    Others are Chairman Committee on Petroleum Downstream, Dakuku Peterside, Chairman, Committee on Finance, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman Interior Committee, Umar Bature, Chairman, Marine Transport Committee, Ugwuanyi Ifeanyi, Tajudeen Yusuf, Opeyemi Bamidele, Sokonte Davies, Edie Mbadiwe, Nnenna Ukeje and Aisha Ahmed.

    In Port Harcourt, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Worgu Boms urged the Police Commissioner to act within the law.

    Boms said Mbu should discharge his responsibilities within the precepts of law and not allow himself to be used by political forces against the state and Amaechi.

    The Attorney-General bemoaned Mbu’s utterances and conduct which, he said, could lead to anarchy and decried his ban on street processions.

    Boms said the Police Commissioner had no legal power to ban protests, explaining that the Public Order Act authorises only the Governor to grant permission for a street procession.

    “The Commissioner of Police is a Commissioner of Police and not a lawmaker or a law interpreter – functions that statutorily and constitutionally belong to the Parliament and the Judiciary, respectively. The Commissioner of Police is only a law enforcer and no more. Yet, being neither a lawmaker nor a law interpreter, he (Mbu) has continued to act in both capacities through his speeches and conduct all of which have combined to signpost a preference for anarchy in place of observance and maintenance of law and order for which the Police are established and for which he was employed.

    Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar yesterday said his office had not received a petition from the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi calling for the redeployment of the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.

    Abubakar stated this while responding to reporters inquiries when eight police detectives were recognised for outstanding performance.

    Governor Amaechi had called for the redeployment of Mbu for what the governor described as the worsening security situation in Rivers State.

    The governor and the police commissioner have been at daggers drawn over the festering political crisis in the state in which the police boss is perceived to have taken sides with Abuja forces against the governor’s camp.

  • Reps probe oil bloc sale

    The House of Representatives is to conduct an investigation into the sale of Oil Mining License, (OML) 30.

    Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) was mandated to carry out the investigation on the transaction allegedly conducted with a questionable oil exploring company

    and report to the House within three weeks.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion under point of order by Yusuf Tajudeen (PDP, Kogi), who noted that sometime in November 2012, OML 30 located in the western Niger Delta area was sold to Heritage, a company managed by a Briton.

    He said: “The sale of OML 30 to Heritage Oil, a company, whose Chief Executive’s antecedent is allegedly unsavoury is highly disturbing.

    “The past activities of the British owner of Heritage Oil led to prolonged militia operations and political instability in Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

    “Nigeria’s involvement with a company owned by an individual whose shadowy business ethics is recognised all over the world will raised doubts about the country’s quest for growth and development.

    “Whenever Heritage Oil commences operations, the mercenary credential of its chief executive could pose a security threat in the Niger Delta.

    “This development will have adverse effect on Nigeria’s revenue, economy, infrastructural and technical development.”

    Speaker Aminu Tambuwal put the motion to voice vote and was unanimously adopted.