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$16bn Power Projects: Refer Obasanjo To EFCC, SERAP Tells Buhari

  Advertisement   The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to “urgently refer the allegations of mismanagement of $16 billion … Continue reading $16bn Power Projects: Refer Obasanjo To EFCC, SERAP Tells Buhari


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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to “urgently refer the allegations of mismanagement of $16 billion power projects between 1999 and 2007 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation.

The group urged the President to extend his searchlight beyond the Obasanjo government and prosecute anyone involved in fraudulent practices if he has relevant and sufficient evidence against them.

SERAP made this known in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, on Wednesday.

It also advised that beyond the allegations regarding the $16 billion power projects, the President should refer the case involving the alleged squandering of over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply, to the anti-graft agencies.

The organization said, “Addressing impunity in the power sector should be total. This would help improve the integrity of government and public confidence and trust in their government. It would also serve as a vehicle to further the public’s perception of fairness and thoroughness, and to avert any appearance of political considerations in the whole exercise.

“By immediately pursuing justice and recovery of any stolen assets in the power sector, the Buhari government would be acting in the public interest, and consistent with the spirit and letter of the constitution, particularly Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, and providing that high-level public officials have a clear obligation to “eradicate all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

SERAP stated further that the failure by successive governments to “tell Nigerians the truth about allegations of corruption in the spending of not just the $16 billion but also the over N11 trillion spent by three governments on electricity supply amounts to a failure to ensure that energy services/electricity services are progressively made available, on the basis of equality and non-discrimination, to the whole population, including those most disadvantaged, such as the fringe dwellers and the rural poor.”

The comments come barely 24 hours after the President queried past governments over alleged fraudulent practices which he says were responsible for some of the challenges the nation faces today.

 

 

Specifically, he criticized a former president for spending billions of dollars on power projects in the country with no results.

Read Also: ‘Where Is The Power?’ Buhari Blasts Ex-President For Spending $16bn On Power With No Result

According to the President, one of the former Heads of State had bragged that he spent 16 billion dollars on power whereas there wasn’t anything to show for it.

Even though President Buhari did not mention the name of the former president, he may have been referring to the Olusegun Obasanjo administration which spent billions on power projects.

“Where is the power? Where is the power? And now we have to pay the debts,” Buhari said.

He further criticised those who defrauded the nation, describing them as “economic saboteurs” who according to him, lacked imagination and also failed to plan for Nigeria’s development.

“Sometimes, I wonder about those who can afford to send their children abroad for studies and yet continue to sabotage the economy, I wonder what kind of Nigeria they want their children to return to and work.

“There is a lot of lack of imagination. If you are working for the country, then you shouldn’t be misappropriating and misapplying public funds the way people did,” he said.

Budget Appropriation

The President also took a swipe at the National Assembly saying “this year and last year’s budget which I took to the National Assembly were the highest in capital projects: More than 1.3 trillion Naira.

“Let anybody come and confront me publicly in the National Assembly. What have they been doing? Some of them have been there for 10 years.”
Although the 2018 budget had been presented since November 2017, it wasn’t passed until May 2018.

President Buhari, however, scored his administration high saying under his watch, the 2016 and 2017 budgets recorded the highest appropriation and releases in capital projects, with over N2.8 trillion disbursements in two years.

He also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ensure that only “people of conscience are in-charge of governance at all levels”, even as the 2019 general elections draw near.

Meanwhile, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo who also believes the criticism was targeted at his administration reacted few hours after President Buhari’s comments were published.

In the statement signed by Mr Akin Osuntokun, Director of Strategic Communications of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, which he founded, Obasanjo accused President Buhari of playing politics with statistics.

The former President said the comments by the President “once again” demonstrated that he was incompetent.

Read More: Obasanjo Replies Buhari, Denies Spending $16bn On Power