The Nation Newspaper

Tag: TRICYCLE

  • Senate queries NAPEP over N16.54b tricycle funds

    The Senate has asked the management of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) to explain the whereabouts of N16.54 billion appropriated to the agency for various projects.

    This is contained in “Analysis of the response of the NAPEP to the 2010 queries of the Auditor-General for the Federation” obtained at the National Assembly yesterday.

    The National Coordinator of NAPEP, Muktar Abubakar Tafawa-Belewa, however said that over N10 billion of the agency’s funds were currently trapped in micro-finance banks across the country.

    Tafawa-Balewa added that some of the micro-finance banks had been liquidated.

    He said that the agency was already conducting a forensic audit to ascertain the true position of the funds from the banks before taking necessary actions to recover it.

    The management of NAPEP claimed that another N605 million given to operators of Keke NAPEP under the platform of Keke NAPEP Owners and Riders Association (KORAN) had not been paid back by the association.

    According to the document, out of 5,000 units of Keke NAPEP ordered for and fully paid for since 2008, a total of 988 units worth N292,243,484 is yet to be supplied as at March, 2011.

    The management said that the total outstanding Keke NAPEP not supplied was 1,310 and not 988.

    The Senate also said that a unit cost of Keke NAPEP as given by Auditor-General is N295,793.00 while it was stated in some documents as N450,000.00 per unit.

    The Senate said that Revenue realised in the sale of 4,012 units of Keke NAPEP supplied at N295,793.00 per unit was N486,052,850.00 in the revenue book instead of N1,186,721,516.00 which amounted to a shortfall ofN700,668,666.00 which could not be accounted for.

    The agency claimed that the total unit supplied was 3,690 units and 4,012 as stated.

    It said that the supposed revenue to be realised was N1,091,476,170, the revenue unremitted amounted to N605,630, 820.00.

    It said that the supplier failed to supply 1,310 units of Keke NAPEP which left management of the agency with no option than to resort to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

    The Senate wondered why no reason was given for the payment of complete sum of contract before execution of the contract.

    The Senate said that NAPEP should explain why the total units valued at N292,243,484 is yet to be supplied and account for the shortfall of N700,668,666.00.

    The document said that “in 2008, N150,000,000.00 was for supply of spare parts but unfortunately as at the time of the audit in March 2011, no spare parts had been supplied.”

    Management of NAPEP said that the contractor, MS Auto Ban Limited, “is yet to supply the spare parts; the case has been reported to relevant authorities.

  • Tricycle operators beg Rivers govt for conducive environment

    The Rivers State branch of the Keke Owners and Riders Association (KORAN) has urged the Rivers State government to create a conducive environment for its members to operate.

    KORAN said its members have contributed millions of naira to the state’s coffer since inception of the organisation.

    The group said their regular payment of tax into Rivers State coffer has been recognised by the merit award, which was recently given to them in Port Harcourt by the Joint Assembly of Rivers Youth for their excellence performance and contribution in the transport sector of the state.

    The Award, which was celebrated by members of KORAN, was described by its leadership as reward for hard work and proficiency in the service to humanity.

    Mr John Ademola, the state Chairman of Keke Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (KORAN), said the award is a honour deserved.

    “We are delighted as members of KORAN to receive the Award. We are happy that the award is coming at this time when our members are soliciting support from the state government to create enabling environment for our operation.”

    Ademola said Keke-NAPEP is a Youth empowerment scheme initiated by the Federal Government in 2006 and receiving an Award from Rivers youth means that their activities and contributions to the state have been fully recognised and appreciated.

    The KORAN Chairman urged the federal and state governments to initiate another youth employment scheme that could complement Keke-Napep, adding, “Keke-NAPEP is a Federal government small scheme transport initiative that was established in 2006. It is an experimental mode of poverty eradication that seeks to empower the poor and unemployed Nigerians to a point where he or she can be valuable in the society. And in order to earn daily bread, we have proven that this three-wheel is possible to pick a street urchin and empower them through micro credits to become a productive member of the society, this is why we need more schemes.”

    Ademola thanked KORAN members for sustaining the temple and advised them to be law abiding and to understand that the establishment of the Rivers Keke-NAPEP Association is not just a tool for earning daily bread but a formidable vehicle for wealth creation.