Nigeria’s Kogi Govt’s Response to Fraud Allegations Laughable

Nigeria's Kogi Govt's Response to Fraud Allegations Laughable

Nigeria’s Response to Fraud Allegations Laughable

The civil society organisation which dragged Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and others before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies for an alleged fraud of about N11 billion, Egalitarian Mission Africa (EMA), yesterday said the defence put up by the state government denying the allegations was laughable. In a statement, the head of the group, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, said the defence put up by the government was laughable.

“First of all, we wish to make it abundantly clear that we stand by our report. Before we went to the anti-corruption agencies, we had visited Kogi State for an on-the-spot assessment of the allegations and found them accurate. Are they saying, for instance, that the over-inflated renovation contract of N1.7 billion was not awarded or that N1.2 billion was not paid to the contractor within two days? Or are they saying that a mere renovation of a three-bedroom bungalow for almost N100 million does not deserve scrutiny?

What about the award of the contract without advertisement or tender? Or are they saying that there is any work going on at the moment on the Agasa -Ukpogoro road for which over N1.4 billion has been paid? What about the billions of naira withdrawn allegedly to buy fanciful cars which cannot be found on the streets of Lokoja? We challenge the state government to show contrary proof. Kogireports

The video below provides yet another reason as to why this bull market will not end anytime soon. Mass Psychology states that the Masses Must embrace a call before it crashes.  Clearly, that is not the case today.

In this interview with GBENRO ADEOYE, the Director-General of media and Publicity to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo, insists that the state government acted fast to prevent residents’ recent gastroenteritis deaths.

The state government identified the strange illness that reportedly killed 62 persons in Kogi State as gastroenteritis. But some residents are angry that the government acted too late. How would you react to that?

We are still working round the clock, not only to control it but also to ascertain the actual number of casualties. We do not wish to lose any life in Kogi State, but we must set the record straight. We are sure the number (of deaths) was far below the figure being bandied around. We acted as soon as it was reported. Do not forget that it started in Kwara State. Our response was very prompt and coordinated. We are on top of the situation. Some of the people affected have been treated and discharged.

But if as the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Saka Audu, said, it started in Okoloke village in Yagba West six weeks ago, would you still say your response was prompt, considering that the state government just released a statement on Sunday, identifying the strange ailment as gastroenteritis? Punchng

As Nigeria heads to the polls on February 16, corruption remains an endemic issue in Africa’s largest economy, harming its public finances, deterring business investment, exasperating inequality, reducing the standard of living, and weakening the social contract between the government and its people.

In a recent report on the impact of corruption on Nigeria’s economy, PricewaterhouseCoopers warned that corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37% of GDP by 2030, or around $1,000 per person, if not addressed immediately. The report found that corruption has a dynamic impact, which is felt the most by poorer households and smaller firms in Nigeria. Corruption has been described as an “existential threat” to Nigeria and “the single greatest obstacle preventing Nigeria from achieving its enormous potential.” Matthew Page, who developed a taxonomy of corruption in Nigeria, described the country as one of the world’s most complex corruption environments and has identified 500 distinct types of corruption that occur in the country. Cipe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that it is impossible to bring a former minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke to Nigeria now to answer for alleged corruption charges against her.

The commission noted, that the former minister was under investigation in the United Kingdom by the Metropolitan Police, hence, she can’t leave that country since the probes were at an advanced stage.

The commission stated this in a counter-affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in response to a motion filed by the former minister, seeking an amendment to the charges filed against a businessman, Mr Olajide Omokore, and five others.

Mrs Alison-Madueke is seeking to add her name to the list of defendants to enable her to defend the allegations against her in one of the nine counts.

The EFCC had preferred nine counts of criminal diversion of about $1.6bn, alleged to be part of proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government, against an associate of Diezani’s, Mr Olajide Omokore and five other defendants.

It would be recalled that a popular entertainer, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy, in conjunction with a civil society organization, Concerned Nigerians, had stormed the Abuja office of the EFCC recently in protest, asking that Mrs Diezani must be brought back to Nigeria to face corruption charges against her. Ripplesnigeria

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