March 1, 2010
The Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government today sent unambiguous notice of its intentions by setting up a "Project Monitoring Committee," the immediate heat of which will be felt by a key member of Yar'Adua's kitchen cabinet, Abba Sayya Ruma, who runs the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government today sent unambiguous notice of its intentions by setting up a "Project Monitoring Committee," the immediate heat of which will be felt by a key member of Yar'Adua's kitchen cabinet, Abba Sayya Ruma, who runs the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Presidential Project Assessment Committee, which will be inaugurated by the **Acting President on March 4th, is to assess all on-going federal projects and provide necessary information on their implementation status. It will have three months to complete its assignment and submit a report.
Among others, the committee will investigate the N30 billion dam projects cited in Katsina state, at a cost of N1.19 billion; the Ogbese dam project in Ekiti State, at a cost of N5.49 billion; the Zobe Dam project, also in Katsina State, at a cost of N6.86b; the new Nigeria Farmers Project in Kwara state at a cost of N2.82b; and a variety of irrigation projects in various states put at a cost of N3.71 billion.
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The panel will also look into the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) where over N600 billion naira subsidies on petroleum product have been mismanaged, as well as the Office of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), where billions of dollars have also disappeared.
The team will look at the execution of the over N10 billion silos projects sited in Abuja at a cost of N4.17b; Katsina, at a cost of N4 billion; and another at Uyo at a cost of N1.73billion. The silos projects involve Yar'Adua's wife, Turai, and a Lebanese businessman, Joseph Zeitoun and his Nigerian wife, Zainab Zeitoun. The probe team would also probe the N4.73 billion released from the 2009 budget for agriculture, representing 25 per cent of government grant for a tractor-hiring scheme in conjunction with an unnamed private firm. The implementation and disbursement of the Federal Government’s 40 per cent credit facility, amounting to N9.52 billion to 10 selected eligible rice- processing companies, for the procurement, installation and setting up of model rice-processing mills in Adamawa, Benue, Ekiti, Niger, Kano, Taraba, Kebbi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ogun and Anambra States will also come under the committee’s search light. The utilization of the sum of N2, 892,190,544.30 being 40 per cent Federal Government grant to six selected private sector organizations as investors to establish export handling, preservation and conditioning centres in six locations across the country will similarly be reviewed.
The PMC will come as a considerable blow to Abba Ruma, in view of the egregious corruption and embezzlement in the Ministry of Agriculture. In earlier reports, Saharareporters had revealed that Ruma had engaged in the Supplementary Budget scam to forge Yar’Adua’s authorization of the 2009 supplementary budget on account of the extra-budgetary spendings of over N9 billion he engaged in while he worked with Yar'Adua's wife.
Known around Abuja for his lavish lifestyle, with a preference for spending foreign currency, Ruma commands a permanent suite at the prestigious Abuja Dunes Center, which is owned by the Zeitouns.
The Chairman of the committee is Arc. Ibrahim Bunu as its Chairman, and. Bon Otti as Vice Chairman. Other members are Mr. Iboro Ege-Edaba, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, Navy Capt. (rtd.) Caleb Olubolade, Prof. Aminu Mikailu, Engr. (Dr.) Idris Abubakar, Engr. Pius Okpa, Mrs. Kate Okparake, Engr. Usman Abubakar and Engr. Gbola Tokun.
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The Presidential Project Assessment Committee, which will be inaugurated by the **Acting President on March 4th, is to assess all on-going federal projects and provide necessary information on their implementation status. It will have three months to complete its assignment and submit a report.
Among others, the committee will investigate the N30 billion dam projects cited in Katsina state, at a cost of N1.19 billion; the Ogbese dam project in Ekiti State, at a cost of N5.49 billion; the Zobe Dam project, also in Katsina State, at a cost of N6.86b; the new Nigeria Farmers Project in Kwara state at a cost of N2.82b; and a variety of irrigation projects in various states put at a cost of N3.71 billion.
articleadslinks
The panel will also look into the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) where over N600 billion naira subsidies on petroleum product have been mismanaged, as well as the Office of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), where billions of dollars have also disappeared.
The team will look at the execution of the over N10 billion silos projects sited in Abuja at a cost of N4.17b; Katsina, at a cost of N4 billion; and another at Uyo at a cost of N1.73billion. The silos projects involve Yar'Adua's wife, Turai, and a Lebanese businessman, Joseph Zeitoun and his Nigerian wife, Zainab Zeitoun. The probe team would also probe the N4.73 billion released from the 2009 budget for agriculture, representing 25 per cent of government grant for a tractor-hiring scheme in conjunction with an unnamed private firm. The implementation and disbursement of the Federal Government’s 40 per cent credit facility, amounting to N9.52 billion to 10 selected eligible rice- processing companies, for the procurement, installation and setting up of model rice-processing mills in Adamawa, Benue, Ekiti, Niger, Kano, Taraba, Kebbi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ogun and Anambra States will also come under the committee’s search light. The utilization of the sum of N2, 892,190,544.30 being 40 per cent Federal Government grant to six selected private sector organizations as investors to establish export handling, preservation and conditioning centres in six locations across the country will similarly be reviewed.
The PMC will come as a considerable blow to Abba Ruma, in view of the egregious corruption and embezzlement in the Ministry of Agriculture. In earlier reports, Saharareporters had revealed that Ruma had engaged in the Supplementary Budget scam to forge Yar’Adua’s authorization of the 2009 supplementary budget on account of the extra-budgetary spendings of over N9 billion he engaged in while he worked with Yar'Adua's wife.
Known around Abuja for his lavish lifestyle, with a preference for spending foreign currency, Ruma commands a permanent suite at the prestigious Abuja Dunes Center, which is owned by the Zeitouns.
The Chairman of the committee is Arc. Ibrahim Bunu as its Chairman, and. Bon Otti as Vice Chairman. Other members are Mr. Iboro Ege-Edaba, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, Navy Capt. (rtd.) Caleb Olubolade, Prof. Aminu Mikailu, Engr. (Dr.) Idris Abubakar, Engr. Pius Okpa, Mrs. Kate Okparake, Engr. Usman Abubakar and Engr. Gbola Tokun.
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