Corruption in High places- Breakdown Of President & VP Expenses for 2012

Taxpayers will spend a fortune feeding the president and his deputy in 2012

The president and his deputy will together enjoy N992.57 million worth of food and general catering services in 2012

The taxpayers, most of which are poor and frustrated, will have to fork out an additional N293 million to provide “refreshment and meals” for the president’s comfort at his home and office.

• N45.4 million would be needed to buy canteen and “kitchen equipment” for the president’s household

• For the vice president’s office, the foodstuff, catering and materials supplies are to cost N104 million, while cooking gas and cooking fuel will consume N6.2 million.

• Refreshments and meals at Mr. Sambo’s office and home are estimated at N20.8million.

• N45.4 million has been allocated for purchase of kitchen and household equipment at the state house headquarters.

• FG budgets N16.6million as rent for VP’s residence

• presidency would spend another N230.133million on the acquisition, upgrading and furnishing of the VP’s official guest house.

• Over N1.06billion, comprising N500million for the construction and furnishing of the extension of the same VP lounge, and another N560million for the construction of official quarters for the VP’s director of protocol (DOP), aide de camp (ADC) and security chief, was provided for in the 2011 budget for the same Aguda house.

• About N957.098million has equally been set aside to take care of miscellaneous expenses.

• N293.69m for refreshment and meals.

• N173.75million for honorarium and sitting allowance.

• N77.56million for publicity and advertisements

• N84.3million for medical expenses.

• N14.06million for postages and courier services.

• N285.14million as well as welfare packages.

• Another sum of N116.733million has been provided in this year’s budget for installation of universal power system (UPS) facilities at the VP’s residence, while about N108million has been budgeted for the provision of communication equipment at the VP’s guest house along with the presidential villa and Dodan Barracks, Marina.

• Other expenses to be incurred by the VP during the year include N20.80million for plant/generator fuel cost, and N10.40million for maintenance of plants/generators, as against N54.33million and N15.216million respectively by the president.
• The Presidency is to spend about N203.88million for the construction/provision of electricity at the villa during the year, in addition to about N85.21million electricity charges and another N168.72million provided in the budget for fuel and general lubricants.

• Extension of power supply to the state house central store is to gulp N35.9million; extension of UPS power source to presidential guest house No. 7 at the Villa for N57.43million; overhauling of two power house generator sets for N127.5million as well as the rehabilitation of villa transformer sub-station for N101.67million.

• The presidency is expected to pay for its subscription to professional bodies with about N7.092million provided in the budget for the purpose, while about N21.485million will cater for its sporting activities
• The provision for general utilities include N56.48million for telephone charges; N42.94million for water rates and N80.8million for leased communication lines(s).

At N70,000 a month, the N1billion budgeted for presidential feeding would pay the wages of 1,200 Nigerians for a year.
Is this the man we voted to represent the poor people's interest? If he is surrounded by so much wealth,how can he understand the plight of  the poor people who barely feeds on 2 dollar per day.

Read More...

Former First lady Turai In Multi- Billion Naira Contract Mess

THE maxim which admonishes: ‘be kind to the people you meet on your way up because you may meet them on your way down,’ is true after all. Hajia Turai Umaru Yar'Adua might have started reaping the fruits of her (mis) conduct when her husband, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who was the President of Nigeria took ill necessitating her being the most powerful individual in Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja.

During the over twelve months of her husband's last struggle with the ailment that eventually killed him, Turai was purported to be in charge of giving the final authority or any official matter or contract award which ordinarily is the prerogative of President Umaru Yar'Adua.

National Daily learned that the former first lady is seriously worried about the consequences of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan's decision to review some of the multi-billion naira contract awarded during the last month of Yar'Adua's life particularly those awarded when he had been incapacitated and was unable to personally discharge his official responsibility. The president's intentions has received the backing of the senate.

Competent sources affirmed that as was demanded by the constitution Jonathan was not allowed to take over the President's responsibility when he could no longer be effective for a long period until the senate intervened and pronounced Jonathan the acting president.

Turai was said to be at the head of the Cabal who seized the apparatus of government and took vital decision which in most cases served only selfish and parochial interest.

Following intense pressure from concerned groups and individuals, the senate resolved to probe into certain projects that touches on the infrastructural development and welfare of Nigerian's in the project area.

Among the progress currently under review is the Zuba-Mpape Road, Abuja, new residences for the Senate President, his Deputy, Speaker of the House of Representatives and his Deputy. The issue of 7 hectares of premium land she acquired on Airport Road, Lugbe, Abuja and the N10billion she raised purportedly to build her cancer centre is causing some furor between her and the new FCT minister who sources said is bent of retrieving the land.

National Daily learned that the current persistent effort to review inflated contracts and uncover abandoned ones said to be awarded under the influences of the former first lady was not only sanctioned by President Jonathan but was given a more sharpened teeth by the incumbent first lady, Patience Jonathan who is said not to have forgotten How Turai humiliated her husband when she was “Mama Excellency” of Aso Rock.

“The first lady is still recriminating the ordeal Jonathan was made to face by Turai when Yar'Adua was incapacitated instead of being made to hold brief for the former President, Jonathan was sidelined on the instructions of Turai. Jonathan spent hours in the office reading newspapers” an inside source said, adding: “the first lady is unhappy that Turai seized the opportunity to enrich herself through dubious projects and inflated contracts. She wants future first ladies to learn a lesson about humility”

The Senate in its determination to encourage prudent management of public funds, accountability and to drive the federal government's anti-corruption crusade empowered its committee on Federal Capital Territory headed by senator Smart Adeyemi to review some contracts awarded in the last days of Yar'Adua's administration. Among the contracts include Zuba-Mpape road dualisation which was awarded to CGC at the whooping cost of over N50 billion.

The committee reviewed the contract down ward and demanded that the contractors refund N30, billion paid as mobilization fee to the federal government.

Competent sources disclosed that Turai and Adamu Aliero who was Minister of Federal Capital Territory were those that directly influenced the award of contract to CGC, a company said to represent Turai's interest.

The senator Adeyemi committee has so far made startling revelation of abandoned contracts in the FCT. “There's a case of four contractors that had been mobilized to build new residences for the Senate president, his deputy, speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy for N3,044,675,974.54. The contract was awarded to Bussdor and company Limited, Persons Science Engineering Co. Limited, Shelter Development Limited. And Independent service Nigeria Limited but there was no visible progress on the contract execution.

Another dubious contract is the design and construction of the official residence of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which was originally awarded in October, 2009 at the cost of N7billion and reviewed upward to N16 billion. The senate committee discovered that the sites for the construction of these projects are non-existence.

“It is judgment day for Turai. It is time for her to account for her deeds as de facto president of Nigeria for the 12 months her husband was indisposed. She was absolutely in charge of decision making process and this affected appointments, contract and oil lifting license. During this period, the vice president (Goodluck Jonathan) was shut out. She was very hostile to the vice president, his staff and his wife, Patience. The incumbent first lady who was the wife of the vice president then, has not forgotten that experience. Now that her husband has become the president, she wants to cut the former first lady down to seize that is why she is influencing her husband's supporters in the senate to uncover Turai's fraudulent contract awards “our source said.

National Daily learned that the specific target of the probe are the contracts awarded by the FCT while the late President was either away in Saudi Arabia for treatment and when he was invalid in the presidential Villa.

Senator Smart Adeyemi, Senate Committee Chairman on the FCT is said to be vested with the responsibility to coordinate other “friends” of the first lady the senate to galvanize support for the senate to pass a resolution to review all contracts awarded by the FCT administration during the entire Yar'Adua years.

The executive arm of the “contract Review Project” is said be under the coordination of Senator Bala Mohammed, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Mohammed according to sources, has began moves to retrieve the land by cancelling the previous documents concerning the 7 hectares of land awarded to Turai by his predecessors, Adamu Aliero.

However, when Information filtered into her, Turai was said to have made desperate effort to show that “there is work in progress at the site” and that the project has not been abandoned. It sources said that Mohammed is under pressure to confiscate the huge expanse of land a situation which is said to have turned a dilemma for the FCT minister whose appointment into office was said to have been influenced by the incumbent first lady. Mohammed's dilemma is allegedly heightened by the fact that he desires to run as governor of Bauchi State which he had the support of his state godfather, Governor Isa Yuguda.

 However, Yuguda is Yar'Adua's son in-law being married to one of his daughters, Nafsat, Yuguda will not support Mohammed to undo his mother in-law, Turai, so, Mohammed is in torn between loyalty to his Aso Rock benefactor and to his future ambition.

Read More...

Privatisation: Senators Want Obasanjo Punished

The Senate Wednesday opened debate on the reports of its adhoc committee on the investigation of government’s privatisation and commercialisation activities, with a number of the lawmakers insisting that former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not go unpunished for the widespread fraud that characterised the exercise during his tenure.

But in an apparent bid to save Obasanjo’s neck, Senate President David Mark cautioned his colleagues to remain focused on the committee’s recommendation and avoid politicising the issues at stake.

He said: “We should remain focused; we should not bring partisan politics into the journey that we started so well so far, so that we do not derail.”

Although the committee’s report did not specifically mention Obasanjo for sanction, it made a veiled reference to “presidential interference” in the privatisation exercise, which it strongly condemned and advised its avoidance in future.

Many senators, who commented on the committee’s report, could not however resist the urge to blame Obasanjo for most of the failures of some of the privatised companies to comply with the terms of the privatisation agreement.

The senators were stunned when Senator Olusola Adeyeye (ACN, Osun) related to them how one of Obasanjo’s sons allegedly brought the Indian company that bought the Ajaokuta Steel Company, which later embarked on mass “looting of the company’s assets and sending them to India”.

He said it was wrong to blame former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the alleged irregularities in the privatisation exercise when his boss Obasanjo who gave certain approvals in contravention to the privatisation laws would go unpunished.

Also in his contribution, Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Abu Ibrahim (CPC, Katsina), argued that it would be unfair for the Senate to recommend punishment for the former Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) bosses for allegedly taking orders from the former president and fail to recommend same for Obasanjo.

Ibrahim said: “The report is comprehensive and decisive. I am worried that the main culprit who signed these documents has been left out. This Senate would have been encouraged to indict such person. Such person should be reprimanded. The Senate should be encouraged to indict former President Olusegun Obasanjo for breaking these laws. He personally signed these companies off. I believe the committee on privatisation should consider those companies one by one and see if the former president is involved and he should be prosecuted.”

On his part, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi) said the ad hoc committee’s report had shown vividly that although privatisation as a concept was good but its implementation was against national interest.

He said: “The Indians who bought Ajaokuta Iron and Steel, rather than turn it around, dismantled the equipment and exported them to India. Today, we are importing the same steel from India.”

Adeyemi, therefore urged the government to summon the political will to implement the recommendations of the committee, saying: “The credibility of our Senate will be tested by this report. There are powerful Nigerians involved in this thing and they must be made to face the wrath of the law.”

But chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Ahmad Lawan (ANPP, Yobe), defended his committee’s recommendations, saying: “They were very patriotic and devoid of sentiments.”

The lawmakers, however, said that the implementation of the committee’s report would show how determined President Goodluck Jonathan is in his fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, former Head of State and the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has urged Nigerians to ask Obasanjo to account for monies that accrued to the country when he was at the helm of affairs.

Buhari, who made this call Wednesday at the grand finale campaign of the Kogi State CPC governorship candidate, Mr. James Enejo Ocholi (SAN), at the Lokoja Township Stadium, alleged that the money made by the country during the Obasanjo regime was more than what the nation got from 1914 to the time he was sworn in.

“No CPC governor will be larger than the party. Anybody who steals public funds will go to jail and anyone who is not ready to work will be allowed to go,” he stated.

He said for the country to forge ahead, anybody found guilty of corruption should no longer be spared, but his property should be confiscated and the accused person sentenced to a long jail term.

Buhari, who has been in the state for the past three days, urged the people to vote for Ocholi whom he described as a courageous and credible man who would bring positive change to the state.

In his address, the governorship candidate urged the people to come out en masse and vote for him in Saturday’s election, saying the ruling party had failed the state.

The CPC candidate, who was presented to the electorate at the rally, also promised to embark on aggressive rehabilitation of roads, hospitals, schools and other such infrastructures.

Read More...

N894m contract scam: Bankole to know fate Dec 19

In Abuja, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Tuesday, re-approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, begging it to terminate the criminal proceedings initiated against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The former speaker, who was earlier granted bail in the sum of N5million, is praying the court to quash all the 16-counts criminal charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency, for want of incriminating evidence.

After listening to their arguments yesterday, Justice Okorowo reserved ruling on the matter till December 19.

Read More...

We need a revolution in Nigeria(Corrupted Civil Servant Should B e Executed)

AS operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have launched an offensive against former Governors perceived to have “toyed” with state funds in the country, a legal luminary, Chief Ladi Rotimi-Williams , has advocated public execution for such officials. 

Already, three Ex-Governors , Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State; Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State and Alahaji Akwe Doma of Nasarrawa State, are facing serious interrogation over alleged embezzlement of funds, totaling N191billion, from EFCC operatives. They may be charged to court, “any time from now.” Another former Governor, Mohammed Goje of Gombe State, has been declared wanted over suspected embezzlement of government funds, running into several billions of Naira. 

Speaking during a special interview with National Daily on his perspective of 51 years of Nigeria's Independence, the scion of the famous Williams Family of Lagos, which is renowned for its legal prowess, having been offspring of late Chief Rotimi Williams, popularly called: “Timi the Law,”, his first son, Ladi, said: “The fundamental problem Nigeria has is corruption. Corruption, which has permeated the entire fabric of the society . 

Corruption, which has stunted our socio-economic and political growth.” He identified, what he referred to as the other major problem as Infrastructure, saying, “we need good road networks, electricity, cheap fuel and so on.” Ladi Williams, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stated that for the country to move forward, in the present circumstances, “we should apply the Chinese solution: Execution.”

In a detailed analysis of such a recipe, he said, “Once you are convicted of corruption, it is not enough to say, “we have retired you. No. If you are corrupt, you should be executed, otherwise, “this nation will not move forward.” Obviously giving his own assessment of EFCC's performance under the Presidency of DR. Goodluck Jonathan, he said, “we are wasting our time. 

Jonathan does not have to be a lion to rule the country.” Giving a legal dent to the nation\s 51 years of Independence, Ladi Williams said, “I thimk the law of the land should be revised to deal ruthlessly with Corruption and nothing short of execution will stop corruption.” Ruminating over the earnings of Federal lawmakers in the country, he said, “ a state of emergency has to be declared to fight all the levels of corruption and over-bloated pay from government coffers.” 

In taking a critical look at the perceived injustice being unleashed on the Nigerian masses, the legal juggernaut said, “May be when you suppress the people for so long, a time will come when they will now say: 'Enough is enough” and they will come out.” But, he quickly noted that, “even though we have not gotten to that stage, we neend a revolution. A revolution that will maintain the unity of Nigeria must replace by displacing injustice.” Ladi Williams commented on the controversial N18,000 minimum wage as well as purported removal of subsidy on petroleum products, saying:

Read More...