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Tag: SURE-P

  • Getting unsure about SURE-P implementation

    Its establishment over a year ago elicited deep-seated scepticisms among the populace, now controversies have continued to trail the implementation of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) in several states in the country. Remi Adelowo, Jide Orintunsin, Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Tony Akowe, Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Shola O’Neil, Okungbowa Aiwerie and Osagie Otabor report

     

    No programme or scheme of the federal government has generated so much scorn and scepticism as much as the implementation of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), established in February 2012.

    The scheme was borne out of the need to cushion the effect of the partial removal of fuel subsidy on January 1, 2012. However, the implementation of the scheme has continued to roll from one hail of controversy to another.

    While the federal government, which budgeted N180bn in the 2012 budget, is already thumping its chest that SURE-P has made impact in critical sectors of the economy with massive investment in infrastructure such as roads, healthcare and rail transport, available statistics point to the contrary. Reports across selected states in the country reveal that the programme has been mired in several controversies ranging from corruption, outright diversion of funds to poor and shoddy implementation of projects.

    In the last few months, several petitions have been sent to the National Assembly calling for a thorough probe into the management of funds particularly in the area of road rehabilitation and construction.

    Some days ago, the House of Representatives commenced a probe of several of the road projects awarded to Danatata and Sawoe, Setraco, Gitto and other construction firms by the Federal Ministry of Works.

    The House Committee on Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values is asking questions on how these firms have allegedly short-changed the nation on some of the road projects.

    Dantata and Sawoe is being queried on how the company got the contract for the construction of the Abuja-Abaji dual carriageway for a sum of N28b, whereas the same contract had earlier in 2006 been awarded for N11b. The Chairman of the committee, Abiodun Faleke, said the difference of N17b was too high a variation.

    He said: “We have observed that it was when SURE-P came into operation that several federal road projects across the country witnessed an upward review in their contract sums.”

    Lopsided implementation

    Investigations further revealed that while the programme has partially taken off in a few states, its presence is virtually non-existent in many others. More worrisome are reports that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have allegedly hijacked the committees charged with the responsibility of implementing SURE-P in some states.

    The score card of the scheme in selected states in different geo-political zones of the country is not cheering.

    Knocks in Anambra

    Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Technical Matters, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, who doubles as the Secretary to the Chief Christopher Kolade-led Sure-P, hails from Anambra State.

    During a visit to Governor Peter Obi last year, he had said the scheme was expected to absorb over 370,000 Nigerians with each state getting 10,000 employees to be paid an allowance of N10,000 monthly. He added that those employed will be engaged in the areas of community service, women and youth employment scheme.

    Few weeks after Nwankpo’s disclosure, he was accused of allegedly diverting Sure-P funds for his campaign to be the Governor of the state come 2014.

    The operation of the programme in the state has also been far from impressive. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Osaeloka Henry Obaze, disclosed that SURE-P is not yet operational in the state.

    He added that the state won’t be part of the scheme until the state government is carried along in its implementation.

    According to him, “SURE-P is yet to be implemented in Anambra. We don’t want to be part of it, because the state should have ownership of the programme and not a situation people were picked from outside to run a programme for us.”

    While lauding the concept, he said: “It is a well-intended programme by the Federal Government, but it is being hijacked by individuals. But our Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, will tackle it at the Presidency.”

    Yet weeks after he made the allegation, the SSG spoke to The Nation and reiterated his earlier stance that Sure-P is not working in the state.

    A former Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Anayo Nebe, who is the state Chairman of the scheme, however, said the implementation of the programme is devoid of any political partisanship as it is being alleged in some quarters.

    He added that the programme was ongoing as against the claims by the SSG. Claiming that the documentation process was still on, Nebe said the exercise in Anambra had been a huge success.

    According to him, “At the moment, the recruits have not commenced work, which is why people do not feel the impact of the scheme. But in a matter of days when the documentation process comes to an end, the impact will be very glaring

    “The participants are being selected from different parts of the state. It is non-partisan, as nobody was selected on the basis of political party, religion or other primordial sentiments. For the first phase, each local government area has four communities.

    “By this, we will ensure there is an even spread. We want every local government area to have a feel of the scheme.”

    Kaduna alleges partisanship

    During his tenure, the late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa raised a high powered committee headed by his then deputy, Rammallan Yero, to work out modalities for the implementation of the scheme in the state.

    The committee was charged with identifying areas of intervention with the state’s share of the funds. The committee identified specific areas of intervention, and according to a highly placed source, each sector identified was to be directly handled by the relevant ministry concerned.

    The programme, according to available records from the government, is supposed to empower about 6000 women and youth as well as embark on road construction, provision of security, healthcare delivery and affordable transportation to the people of the state.

    As part of the programme, the Yakowa government awarded contract for the purchase of 40 operational vehicles equipped with full accessories for security agents in the state and 40 brand new Nissan Sunny vehicles for distribution to transport operators in the state. About 700 tricycles were also to be purchased by the government under the scheme.

    However, Governor Yero, who incidentally chaired the committee as Deputy Governor, gave out these items, especially the vehicles and tricycles, as part of his 100 days celebration. 700 tricycles, 35 mini buses, 40 taxis and 15 luxury buses were given to beneficiaries, which included selected members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the All Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), as well as the Kaduna State Transport Authority (KSTA).

    Yero said that the vehicles and tricycles have been subsidised by 50 percent by the government and that beneficiaries are expected to make a down payment of 25 percent.

    However, the state Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mohammed Musa Soba, accused the government of not living to its promise of carrying everybody in the state along in its operation. He claimed that the SURE-P programme in the state is strictly a PDP affair without any consideration for the opposition parties.

    According to him: “The Governor promised on his assumption of office to carry everybody along. But the reverse has been the case. The late Yakowa was fair to the opposition and carried them along because he recognised the importance of the opposition to the development of the state. But that is not the same with this government.”

    However, the Director General to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki, debunked this claim. He disclosed that those who benefitted from the distribution were not members of the PDP, but people identified from across the state.

    He said, “If you look very well, the vehicles that were distributed were given to union members to enable the government monitor the items. The time when these things are given out and government cannot monitor them is gone. Through the various unions, we can monitor these people and since they are not free, we can monitor the payment since it is a loan. So, it is wrong to politicise the Sure-P, as it is meant for everybody in the state.”

    On course in Niger

    In Niger State, the implementation of the scheme is on course. Investigations revealed that the programme is being coordinated in three stages – federal, state and local government levels.

    The biggest impact of the scheme has been felt with the massive investment in the railway transport sector. Currently, commuters travel from Minna to Kaduna on a daily basis, while people of the state are also benefitting from the Lagos – Kano and Offa – Kano train services, all courtesy of the scheme.

    At take-off, 300 women and youth were captured for the scheme with a commercial bank serving as financial advisor for the beneficiaries.

    The scheme was scaled up with the capturing of an additional 1150 beneficiaries in seven of the 25 local government areas of the state.

    Having perfected the initial challenges at the pilot level of the scheme in eight local government areas, it was scaled up with another set of 3,000 women and youth across the state.

    Investigation, however, showed that the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the programme is yet to be fully embraced by many youth in the state. Efforts to get the figure of beneficiaries under the scheme failed. But it was gathered that lack of mobilisation may have been responsible for the poor patronage of the scheme.

    Deputy Chairman, Implementation Committee in the state, Abdullahi Baba-Mini Mohammed, said that SURE-P has recorded tremendous success in the state.

    According to him, about 4,500 women and youth in the state have been empowered in the last 10 months of the flag-off of the scheme.

    On GIS programme, the deputy chairman confirmed the poor reception of the scheme. He, however, said that the committee has mapped out strategies to create awareness and educate unemployed youth in the state on the need to avail themselves of the opportunities of the GIS.

    At the state level, a few weeks ago, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu appointed Mr. Hassan Nuhu as Director General to oversee and ensure the effective and timely implementation of projects.

    The governor had earlier announced that part of the monies in the SURE-P account will be used to facilitate jobs for unemployed youths.

    He also directed all the 25 local government areas in the state to carry out a census of all unemployed youths in the state within the next one month, with a view to gainfully engaging them, while adding that 17,000 university, polytechnic and college of education graduates are already being screened for engagement.

    The Nation gathered that the implementation of the programme at the local government level in the state is being fine tuned. A pointer to this was made by the governor when he disclosed that the 25 local government areas of the state have about N2 billion in their SURE-P account and that part of it will be used to facilitate the employment of the youth at the grassroots.

    Scheme not in existence in Plateau

    However, the presence of the scheme is yet to be felt in any part of Plateau State, contrary to widespread belief that the programme was structured to be established at federal and state levels.

    The Nation gathered that the scheme has not established any office in the state since its establishment 14 months ago.

    The state government, it was gathered, had sent the name of the state coordinator to the presidency which immediately approved it. However, the coordinator, Mr. Da Bulus Daren, has been working without an office. Findings revealed that efforts by Daren to ensure that the programme takes off has not yielded any positive results, even as the state government is said not to be happy with the situation.

    Same story in Delta

    The programme has been dogged by controversy from its inception in Delta State. As of now, it is non-existent as the ministry in charge of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) under which the programme is coordinated is in the dark as to its activities.

    A staff of the ministry, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the programme is yet to begin operations.

    Our source said he and other staff of the ministry who were supposed to drive the programme do not have any information on how to go about their duties.

    The SURE-P on maternal and child healthcare is also yet to begin in the state. A staff in the Ministry of Health disclosed that the only programme providing succour for pregnant and nursing mothers in the state was initiated by the state government. Our source in the ministry lamented that there has been no collaboration between the agency coordinating SURE-P and the state’s health officials.

    In the same vein, the mass transit programme initiated under the scheme has not taken off, save for the Delta State Mass transit scheme which commenced soon after the subsidy removal protest.

    For the mass transit scheme, Delta State Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Bernard Igbakpa, confirmed that there has been no collaboration whatsoever between the state government and SURE-P on mass transit.

    He said: “For us in Delta, we have not done anything with the SURE-P, and the state mass transit scheme is exclusively funded by the state. In the 2013 budget, the state will use its share of the SURE-P fund to train and employ 2000 traffic marshals.”

    The only landmark of the programme in the state is the presence of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) workers on some federal roads, notably the Warri-Ughelli-Ibuzor-Asaba Expressway and the Warri-Abraka-Asaba road where youths are engaged for road maintenance and cutting of wild grasses on the road. Their reflective vests conspicuously marked with the SURE-P signs marked them out.

    Asides from these road projects, the Onitsha/Benin Expressway also has tens of youths working daily on road maintenance under the auspices of FERMA.

    Like most programmes of the federal and state governments, people of the riverside communities who spoke with our reporter on the issue said they haven’t felt the impact of the programme. For instance, although the state government acquired buses for land transportation shortly after the subsidy protest in 2012, not even one boat has been provided for water transportation.

    On vocational training for youths, which is a new component of the scheme, it was learnt it was yet to commence.

    Hijacked by politicians in Bayelsa

    Although the empowerment aspect of the programme was to be handled by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), it was hijacked by the state government. The chairman of the committee, Mike Kalango, was alleged to have used his closeness to political leaders in the state to marginalise the NDE Coordinator in the state, Mr. Sunday Akpakasa.

    The situation reached a climax some days ago when the process of employment, which was said to be at 95% completion stage, was scrapped through a terse public statement in the media. Prior to that action, sources said allocation of the job slots and payment of monthly stipends are being handled by the Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson in the eight local government areas.

    Findings also revealed that an old generation bank where the forms are domiciled, handed over the forms to Dickson’s aides following “instructions from above”. As a result, instead of the youths going there to fill and submit the forms, they are directed to the homes of the government official, who distributes them according to party affiliation.

    “If you are not in the good books of these people and their supporters or you are not a member of the PDP, you cannot get anything because they do what they like with it. It is seen as a way of rewarding those who worked for and are working for the party,” an unemployed youth from Agge, Ekeremor LGA said.

    It was further gathered that the Director of the NDE in the state has little or no say in the implementation of the scheme, much to the chagrin of staff of the directorate. He refused to speak to our reporter on the issue when he was contacted.

    A source close to him, however, said: “We have done almost 95 percent implementation; but surprisingly, the chairman, a politician started a new process and in one fell swoop, he undid the work we had put in place over the last months.”

    It’s a PDP affair in Edo

    One year down the line, it could not be ascertained how much the state has received from the subsidy fund even as some state government officials contacted to speak on the issue did not reply text messages sent to their mobile phones by The Nation.

    Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, directed our reporter to check with the Commissioner of Finance, John Inegbedion, but calls made to the commissioner’s mobile lines went unanswered.

    It was, however, gathered that 3000 persons have been employed in the state under the Community Service and Youth Empowerment Project of SURE-P. An additional 2000 persons are to be employed in June this year.

    For some time now, there have been arguments over how the employment exercise was carried out. State Secretary of the ACN, Osaro Idah, said the party did not receive any notification about the employment of 3000 persons under the SURE-P scheme.

    Some people who spoke with our reporter said the appointments were allegedly given to members of the state PDP and that the forms were distributed without the knowledge of the people. This led to further debate about the veracity of the 3,000 employment claim.

    Besides, there are widespread allegations of extortion by supervisors of the programme. Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they are made to pay some money before their names are forwarded for the payment of their stipends.

    But State Chairman, Implementation Committee of the Community Service of SURE-P, Lucky Imasuen, however, denied allegations that the forms were given to members of the PDP.

    He said the first 3000 persons have been paid their stipends for the months of February and March, adding that it was normal for some people to complain since everybody cannot benefit at once.

    Imasuen, a former deputy governor in the state, said the purpose of the programme was to reach the youths, women and the disabled.

    He said the beneficiaries are to be paid N10,000 monthly for working in public places like cleaning markets, hospitals, traffic control and other places that are not private buildings and places.

    According to him, “The forms were given to us for distribution and the process for distribution was party blind. People who are not affiliated to political parties were given forms. This fund is part of the 41% share of the federal government. States are getting their share. They are expected to complement what the federal government is doing. I am pretty sure the state governments are doing well with their money. The federal government is using its share for all Nigerians.

    “Other programmes are not directly under my control, but they are already being implemented across the federation in collaboration with existing ministries like the federal ministries of works, health and others. We are in charge of Community Service and Youth Empowerment projects.

    “I don’t have access to the money as the chairman. We deal with individuals and they deal with the banks. I only supervise the entire process.”

    About to take off in Taraba

    It was not until a few days ago that the federal government made available N1.7b to the state government to implement some SURE-P projects.

    Investigations revealed that about 400 tricycles (Keke NAPEP), commercial motorcycles and lots of empowerment equipments have been purchased by the government, which will in the next few weeks be distributed to beneficiaries across the state.

     

     

  • National Assembly, Presidency may clash over 2013 budget

    National Assembly, Presidency may clash over 2013 budget

    THE amendment of the 2013 budget sought by President Goodluck Jonathan may re-enact a fresh round of bickering between the National Assembly and the Presidency as the National Assembly resumes plenary today.

    Jonathan, who signed the budget, forwarded a memorandum to the National Assembly, seeking an amendment of the Appropriation Act.

    Specifically, he accused the lawmakers of allegedly including clauses that may be injurious to the spirit of separation of powers in the budget, insising that these clauses could hamper the work of the Executive if not expunged.

    Besides, Jonathan also asked the lawmakers to amend the budget of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    He listed three clauses, which he claimed, impinged on the separation of powers and could hamper the work of the Executive.

    He demanded a cut on the provisions made for personnel cost and change of some provisions made for capital projects.

    Though Jonathan explained that the proposed amendment was the outcome of various meetings with the leadership and committees of the National Assembly, this did not go down well with some Senators.

    The President said it became imperative that certain provisions be amended.

    The offensive insertions, Jonathan said, included Clause 6(ii) which states: “The Accountant-General of the Federation shall forward to the National Assembly full details of funds released to the government agencies immediately such funds are released; ”while clause 9 states: “All Accounting Officers of Ministries, Parastatals and Department of Government who control heads of expenditures shall upon the coming into effect of this Act furnish the National Assembly on quarterly basis with detailed information on the Internally Generated Revenue of the agency in any form whatsoever.

    “Both clauses run counter to established chain of reporting,” he said.

    However, a top member of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, told our correspondent that the implication of the proposal by President Jonathan “is that the National Assembly should overhaul and rework the budget.”

    The committee member who spoke anonymously, noted that they took so many things into consideration before the budget was passed.

    The lawmakers, he said, believe that what they did was for the best interest of the country.

    He wondered how asking the Minister of Finance to ensure that funds appropriated under the Appropriation Act are released to the appropriate agencies and/or organs of government, as and when due, offended the spirit of separation of powers.

  • SURE-P largesse tears PDP apart

    SURE-P largesse tears PDP apart

    A fresh round of crisis is brewing in the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the distribution of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds allocated to the state.

    In a statement issued by a group in the party which calls itself ‘Concerned PDP Stakeholders, Lagos State’, they accused the coordinator of SURE-P in the state, Chief Bode Oyedele, and another chieftain of the party, Chief Olabode George, of allegedly diverting the funds and also favouring their cronies and supporters as beneficiaries of the programme.

    The statement, which was signed by Dr. Olusegun Oluwole, the coordinator of the group, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack Oyedele without further delay.

    Describing Oyedele as lacking grassroots influence to mobilise support for the PDP in the 2015 general elections, the ‘concerned stakeholders’ called for the immediate dissolution of the Lagos State executive of the party, which it said its members were allegedly imposed by George.

    While calling on Jonathan not to rely on some chieftains of the party, the group posited these individuals, including George and the chairman of the party in the state, Chief Tunji Shelle, do not command the followership of a majority of members of the party in the state.

    But in his reaction to this allegation, Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Taofik Gani, denied the existence of the group.

    He said, “We (PDP) don’t have anybody that bears that name (Oluwole) in our party. The truth is, we are prepared for more of this blackmail. The strategy is to distract us but we won’t be distracted.”

    On the alleged misappropriation of the SURE-P funds, Taofik explained: “There is no money that has been given to Chief Bode Oyedele. As a matter of fact, the man (Oyedele) is not happy that he was saddled with this responsibility without being backed with funds. This allegation is all about the 2015 election, but all I can say is that we are prepared and we would not be deterred by such frivolous allegations.”

  • Kebbi SURE-P engages 3,000 youths

    The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE–P) in Kebbi State has launched empowerment programme for the youth. The programme will train 3,000 youths and subsequently enroll them to work under the state’s environmental sanitation, traffic and security scheme.

    The state coordinator of the programme, Alhaji Samaila Haliru Dan Kasa disclosed this during the launch of the SURE–P programme at the Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area secretariat.

    He said that under the scheme, 142 youths in each of the 21 local government areas have acquired skills in environmental sanitation, vigilance work and road traffic control.

    Dan Kasa further said that out of the 3,000 people already engaged, 50 per cent of them are youths; 30 per cent are women while 20 per cent are persons with disability.

    According to the coordinator, the programme in all the local government areas has full support of traditional institutions and the leadership of the state House of Assembly.

    In his remarks, the chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan Illela said that the launch of the scheme was timely as it would reduce the rate of unemployment among the youth. He called on youths to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the programme to be productive members of the society.

    Earlier, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, expressed concern over the high rate of unemployment in the state, saying that the scheme would help in reducing the burden of unemployment on government.

  • SURE-P and the peril of shamelessness

    SURE-P and the peril of shamelessness

    SIR: Racial chauvinism aside, have you noticed that the average black man does not have shame? I however, remember with a sense of shame, sometime last year when African heads of states gathered in Addis Ababa to commission the newly built AU building donated by China for ‘just’ $200 million (N30 billion then)—it was said to have been facilitated by the then Chairman of the AU Commission Jean Ping who is of Chinese descent.

    Apart from the haunting ignominy that the headquarter of such a revered Pan-African organisation would be a handout donation from the rapacious Asian giant—an amount a single Nigerian like James Onanefe Ibori or pension-gate’s John Yakubu Yusuf could have paid for without batting an eyelid—I’d thought that our President would try to gain an Orwellian political capital by bragging that Nigeria would foot the bill.

    Given the size of the impressive edifice, I am pretty sure that such a project would not cost anything less than $1 to 2 billion or even more, on our home soil. How did I know? The prodigal administration of Yar’Adua-Jonathan in 2009/10 awarded contract to Julius Berger to construct a 4.5 km runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for the sum of N64 billion ($425 million). That is about the total amount spent by the states of Akwa Ibom , Delta (N27.7 billion), Gombe (N7 billion) and Bauchi (N7.9 billion) to build new airports from scratch, with the latter having a similar sized runway capable of taking the all-new Airbus A380.

    As if our national pride has not been despoiled enough, the de facto rulers, Economic Management Team; a sobriquet synonymous with grand larceny and elitist disconnect, have now floated a new shibboleth: SURE-P.

    I just pity Pa Chris Kolade. Given his track records, I admire the old man; I expect that a man of his calibre would know what shame is all about, and I pray he would know when to resign and salvage all that is left of his integrity…

     

    • Asiwaju Linus Onime

    Lagos

  • SURE-P funds for roads, other projects, says govt

    THE Federal Government has found a solution to the delay in completion of roads and insfrastructure.

    It is using funds from the Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to facilitate their completion.

    Works Minister, Mike Onolememen said funds for the completion of the dualisation of the Lokoja-Benin Expressway would come from SURE-P.

    Speaking during the flag off of the dualisaton of Okene-Auchi and Obajana junction-Okene road, he said the project was initially constrained by inadequate budgetary provision until SURE-P was established.

    He said: “SURE-P has injected the much-needed funds required for the completion and I am optimistic that the project will be fully realised by march 2014.

    “The ministry of works followed a rigorous competitive tender that saw the emergence of Messr Mothercat Nigeria Limited for section 11: Okene-Auch road, as the contactor now saddled with the responsibility of actualising the dream.

    “When this dream is completed, President Goodluck Jonathan would have delivered on his promise to link the six geopolitical zones with dual carriageways, and with the availability of funds, it is expected that this project will be completed in the next 30 months.

    “To this end, we call upon the traditional institution and the good people of Edo and Kogi State to give the contactor all the neccesary support for the full realisation of this project,” he stressed.

    Onolememen said the challenge is for the contactors and the supervisory team to do everything within their professional powers to actualise the project.

    In a related development the Federal Government reiterated its commitment to complete the long abandoned Bodo-Bonny road and bridge, necessary for land across to the Nigerian Liquidified Natural Gas (NLNG) Plant across the ocean.

    He gave the assurance when Onolememen received a delegation of the Executive Management Team of the Nigerian Liquidified and Natural Gas in his office, led by the Managing Director, Mr Babs Omotowa.

    The Minister reiterated that Nigerian Liquidified and Natural Gas (NLNG) is an important depository of the hydro-carbon elements in the country, which requires road and bridge infrastructure positive implication for Nigerian socio-economic growth.

    He acknowledged that NLNG is a partner for infrastructural development in the country and pledged the preparedness of the government to deliver on its promises.

    Earlier, Mr Omotowa commended the Federal Government for its several interventions on the road sector.

  • ‘Is SURE-P for only PDP members?’

    The Ekiti State chapter of the Conference for Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has alleged that only members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are benefitting from the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) in the state.

    In a statement at the weekend, CNPP coordinator Prince Tunji Ogunlola alleged the coordinators of the SURE-P were doing everything possible to limit beneficiaries to PDP members.

    He said forms for the programme were being distributed only at PDP offices.

    Ogunlola said: “The programme was initiated in 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan ostensibly to cushion the effects of petroleum subsidy removal on Nigerians, but we are getting to learn a new thing in the implementation of the SURE-P in Ekiti.

    “The forms are going only to members of the PDP. It came to me as a rumour, which I have now established. Even within the PDP, only members of a former governor’s faction are benefitting.

    “We urge Mr. President to take a cue from Governor Kayode Fayemi, who has treated every indigene and resident equally, irrespective of party and ethnic affiliation in the social security scheme and other programmes.

    “The coordinators of the programme designed two forms for collection by would-be beneficiaries. While PDP members are issued with genuine forms, members of other parties are given fake forms.

    “We urge Mr. President to intervene to ensure that all Nigerians are given equal treatment and access to the benefits of the SURE-P, as we all suffered the consequences of the subsidy removal.

    “Leaving the implementation of the programme in the hands of politicians in Ekiti State would make a mess of the intention of the federal government.”

    Efforts to reach the Chairman of the SURE-P Implementation Committee in Ekiti, Chief Femi Akinyemi, failed.

  • SURE-P: Lagos, others yet to get palliatives

    SURE-P: Lagos, others yet to get palliatives

    ALMOST one year after President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) in the wake of the mass protests against the removal of the subsidy on petroleum, many state governments and other stakeholders are yet to receive the much touted palliatives promised by the Federal Government.

    Abuja had pledged, while unveiling the programme, to commit proceeds of the funds to boost health facilities, housing and transportation, including road construction and provision of mass transit buses to the 36 states and the Federal capital Territory (FCT).

    But investigation by The Nation revealed that many states across the federation may not have not benefited from the operations just as its impact on the populace is non-existence.

    Confirming this development, Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, in an exclusive interview with The Nation yesterday, said: “Nothing was given to Lagos State. We didn’t receive a single vehicle. And we didn’t know who to make requisition to. And to the best of my knowledge, I’m not aware of any state getting anything. But frankly, we didn’t get anything from the subsidy relief programme.”

    His counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jide Idris, also said he was not aware of any support to his sector.

    “As far as I know, I’m not aware of any support from that end to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, not at all,” Dr. Idris said.

    In separate interviews with officials of Ondo, Ekiti and Osun States, governments, they denied the existence of the SURE-P in their respective States.

    Echoing similar sentiments, Chief Olabode Afolayan, National President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), in an interview with our correspondent while acknowledging that the SURE-P had a component for housing in 2012 however, regretted that no structure was put in place to actualise same.

    He said:”Unfortunately we have not been able to access any funds from the SURE-P. It was not available for us to access because some of these things from government you need to come up with a template so that we all understand before you start allocating funds.”

    “We only hope that maybe what we were unable to achieve last year we will be able to achieve this year. But honestly why it was like that was that the stakeholders were not carried along in an attempt to draw up a programme.

    “You don’t just allocate money. You come up with a programme; let the programme drive the allocation of money. You don’t just say this is N1billion for houses; you have to first ensure the availability of land on which you want to build. It should be from question to answer and not from answer to question because what they have done in SURE-P is like from answer to question.”

    Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has said it will look into the mandate and operations of the SURE-P launched by the Federal Government.

    The investigation which will kick off this week is to be conducted by the Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Finances, States and Local Governments.

    Chairman, House Committee on Downstream, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, said the investigation was in compliance with a resolution of the House following a debate on the operations of the programme.

  • SURE-P: Fed Govt orders employment of 3,000 youths, women in Enugu

    The Federal Government has ordered that 3,000 youths, women and vulnerable persons in Enugu State be employed, under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    Participants will be engaged under a scheme called Community Services, Women and Youth Employment (CSWYE) and paid a monthly stipend of N10,000 each.

    The CSWYE employees or participants will work in projects such as rehabilitation of hospitals and primary health centres, rehabilitation of schools and repairs of educational infrastructure, construction of water supply projects, sanitation, brick moulding and various repairs of critical community projects.

    The Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Enugu State, Nnamdi Asomugha, spoke on the programme in Enugu.

    Asomugha doubles as the Head of the State’s Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) as well as the Vice-Chairman of the State Implementation Committee (SIC) of the SURE-P’s CSWYE.

    He said the Federal Ministry of Finance, which is implementing the programme, had directed the beginning of the CSWYE in Enugu State.

    He said the scheme is the fulfilment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise to reinvest the savings from the partial withdrawal of the subsidy on petroleum products in critical social safety net programmes.

    These include maternal and child health services, urban mass transportation and vocational development.

    The state Coordinator explained that the objectives of the CSWYE are: to create employment and empowerment opportunities for semi-skilled and unskilled labour force, reduce the vulnerability of women and the youth through exposure to income support, enhance societal access to quality social and economic infrastructure and services.

    About 110,000 jobs are expected to be created under the CSWYE in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. He also disclosed that 37,000 jobs will be created for graduates and holders of equivalent or higher degrees under the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) at the rate of 1000 jobs per state in the first quarter of 2013.

    Asomugha said the State Implementation Committee (SIC) under the Chairmanship of Uche Agu has finalised the modalities for the sensitisation, mobilisation and recruitment of the 3000 participants into the programme.

    The coordinator said that the SIC shall hold meetings once every month to ensure the successful execution of the programme in the 17 Local Government of Areas of Enugu state. He said that to ensure fairness and address specific target objectives, the 3000 participants shall be drawn from all the wards in the Council areas of Enugu State while 30 per cent of the participants must be women and vulnerable persons shall constitute 20 per cent of the total for the purpose of equity.

     

  • SURE-P, so unsure

    SURE-P, so unsure

    •It is shocking that the programme was caught napping with its expenditure profile

    SURE-P, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme is one of the agencies set up by the Federal Government, sequel to the fuel subsidy protests in January. Its responsibility is to utilise the proceeds from the partial removal of subsidy on petrol on developmental projects. However, less than one year down the line, initial fears that the agency is another cost centre are being confirmed with the way it is being run.

    The events of November 28 and December 3, when the chairman of the programme, Dr Christopher Kolade, led his officers to appear before the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum, Downstream, to defend their 2013 budget proved this point. Indeed, if the events were anything to go by, it would not be erroneous to conclude that the same cavalier manner in which governments’ ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are being run is the way the programme too is being administered.

    The agency’s officials were unprepared for the business of the day. For instance, they could not readily provide details of how they spent N8billion on mass transit buses or who the beneficiaries are. Another revelation that the body spent N2.2 billion on secretarial services between July and October 2012 is enough proof of its profligacy which is fast becoming a defining pattern of the Jonathan administration. If an intervention agency could spend this much on secretarial services within so short a period, how much would it have spent if it were a full-fledged ministry?

    For an agency that rakes in an average of N15billion monthly from the tax-payers’ purse, one would have expected a tidier record-keeping profile. If the agency came to defend its 2013 budget, it should have occurred to it that questions would be asked on how it has spent the current year’s before approval could be given for the next. Maybe it was not the fault of the SURE-P officials; perhaps they had expected the usual ‘take a bow and go’ from the lawmakers!

    We have said it before that SURE-P is unnecessary; that is why we wonder why it is just dawning on the National Assembly members that it is an illegal body. At any rate, if it is an illegal body, why are they dealing with it at all? Is it not possible to let it die a natural death by not having anything to do with it, thereby denying it of funds?

    That the agency has been duplicating the activities of existing MDAs is indication that it was not well thought out. Even if it begins to initiate its own projects now, that would still not obliterate the fact of its being unnecessary. When government creates this kind of agencies, it is a vote of no confidence on the MDAs responsible for the roles that the agencies are expected to play. If Nigerians themselves do not trust the MDAs, what is the assurance that they can trust these agencies?

    It is high time the government put its house in order and start building institutions instead of placing huge burden of governance on individuals supposedly of ‘high integrity’. The same scenario played out over 20 years ago when the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) was set up, with General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as its chairman. If it had any impact on the nation’s infrastructure stock, it was not sustainable because of its ad-hoc nature. Today, we pass through the same cul-de-sac with SURE-P and with Dr Kolade as its boss.

    We wonder why the same government that is complaining of too many agencies keep creating more at a time when it should be thinking of reducing their number. Relevant government agencies should be compelled to perform their responsibility and where they fail, punishment should be meted out for negligence or fraud as the case may be. Even in its so short a period, SURE-P has outlived its usefulness. The lawmakers should insist on its being scrapped. It is a wasteful agency that is not acceptable in any sane society.