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Alleged N37bn fraud: I will defend my actions – Buhari’s ex-minister
Alleged N37bn fraud: I will defend my actions – Buhari’s ex-minister
Nigeria’s former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, has denied knowledge of any shady dealings amounting to N37bn when she headed the ministry.
Umar-Farouk who was appointed as the pioneer minister of the Humanitarian Ministry by ex-president Muhammadu Buhari said this on Tuesday on her official twitter account.
The former minister issued the message titled, ‘The Attack On My Person’, in response to an alleged N37.1bn probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Umar was reportedly linked to a contractor, Mr James Okwete, who was used in laundering the N37bn and had been arrested by the commission.
She said, “There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me. James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious.
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“While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have, however, contacted my legal team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.
“I remain proud to have served my country as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and would defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so.”
Umar took over office in 2019 and undertook several projects like the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and the school feeding programme.
She had been accused of spending N2.67bn on school feeding during during Covid-19.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had said that the N2.67bn paid to some federal colleges for school feeding during the COVID-19 lockdown ended up in private bank accounts.
Umar, however, denied the allegation, saying that the school feeding in question is different from the home-grown school feeding programme, which is one of the humanitarian ministry’s social investment programmes.
Alleged N37bn fraud: I will defend my actions – Buhari’s ex-minister
News
FG to give full operating licence to Dangote
FG to give full operating licence to Dangote
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced that the commissioning of the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery is imminent. Furthermore, the Authority will soon grant the refinery an operational license.
This announcement was made by NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, during a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, where he revealed that only three refineries currently possess valid licenses.
“We have issue three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded to Dangote Refinery even in their pre- commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid license to also operate,” he said.
Ahmed also noted that about 15 gas facilities have valid licences while more were undergoing processing.
According to him, there are 1,199 facilities with valid licences in the downstream.
He also said there are more than 176 operators, who hold gas import permits.
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The Authority Chief Executive also noted that there are 130 depots with valid licences while 69 hold valid coastal vessels licences.
In terms of retail, Ahmed said NMDPRA has licensed 9,464 retail outlets as at 10:00am yesterday.
His words: “In the gas processing facility, within the midstream, there are about 15 of them with valid licenses. And much are under processing.
“If you go to the downstream, in the gas state of the downstream, there are facilities more that 1,199 facilities are with NMDPRA valid licences. More than 176 operators hold gas import permits. In the liquid licensing side of the downstream, there are 130 depots with valid licenses, coastal vessels of more than 69 valid licenses as at today.”
The CEO of NMDPRA emphasized the importance of including midstream and downstream operations in the Host Community framework, as they are impacted by emissions and effluence. He used the examples of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and NLNG to illustrate the scope of emissions.
He presented data on midstream and downstream operations to help stakeholders understand their reach and encouraged them to provide input on which facilities should be included in the Host Community and the criteria for doing so. The forum was organized to gather stakeholders’ ideas and feedback.
FG to give full operating licence to Dangote
News
ICPC tracks N219.84bn projects in 176 MDAs
ICPC tracks N219.84bn projects in 176 MDAs
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has tracked N219.84 billion to contractors and ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, of the federal government.
The Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, who disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos yesterday, said the tracking focussed on critical sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure which he added, spanned 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, across all six geo-political zones of the country.
“The Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Group (CEPTG) has tracked a total of N219, 843,922,945.48 across 176 ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs, since its inception in 2019.
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‘’The initiative is to ensure government funds are directed towards impactful projects that benefit the most vulnerable Nigerians,’’ he said.
According to the ICPC boss, the phase 6 tracking which commenced in November 2023 and continued through the first quarter of this year, is ongoing.
He said: “Finally, we want to assure Nigerians that ICPC, in the discharge of its enforcement mandate, is committed to adherence to the rule of law and international best practices in the investigation and prosecution of persons suspected to have committed corrupt practices.’’
The CEPTG, conceived in April 2019 as a preventive and intervention measure, is initiated to tackle corruption and, among other things, engender good governance, transparency, and accountability within the body polity. It focuses on how well monies allocated to critical sectors by the government are utilised.
Highlighting the findings from Phase 6 tracking, the commission’s chairman said a total of 1,721 government-funded projects were tracked within the Phase 6 tracking cycle.
ICPC tracks N219.84bn projects in 176 MDAs
News
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, revealed a preliminary report by German firm GeoScan that estimates Nigeria’s solid minerals are worth $750 billion. He highlighted this during a summit organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Bruit Costaud, emphasizing the sector’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s goal of achieving a trillion-dollar economy.
Alake noted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to reforms in the mining sector to prevent Nigeria from merely being a mining pit for solid minerals. He stressed the importance of data availability to attract investors and stimulate job creation and economic growth through mineral processing plants.
“We are working with the World Bank, Excalibur and GeoScan, a German company, to get the necessary data on the sector. That is why the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Geoscan, and they did a preliminary survey of our minerals’ output and potential. They gave us a figure of $750bn worth of minerals embedded under the ground of Nigeria.”
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Collaborations with organizations like the World Bank, Excalibur, and GeoScan aim to gather essential data for the sector. The memorandum of understanding signed with GeoScan resulted in a preliminary survey revealing the substantial value of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule highlighted the importance of investing in solid minerals, particularly citing the significance of lithium, which he likened to gold. He announced the impending commissioning of Nigeria’s largest lithium processing factory, expected to process 4,000 metric tons daily and transport over a million tons of lithium annually.
Ayo Omotaya, Director General of NIPSS, reiterated the summit’s purpose of charting a path forward for the mining sector, underscoring the necessity of strategic planning and collaboration to harness Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
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