News
Okpebholo panel alleges massive fraud in execution of projects by Obaseki govt
The Edo State Assets Verification Committee set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo said it has uncovered massive fraud in the execution of projects by the immediate past government of Godwin Obaseki.
Gatekeeper reports that the committee disclosed this at a press briefing to avail members of the public of its interim findings on some of the assets so far verified.
Chairman of the committee, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, who addressed the press, listed some of the projects where fraud was allegedly discovered as Radisson Hotel, Edo State Oil Palm Project and Edo State Information Communication Technology Agency, ICTA, among others.
Umakhihe said the transactions on the Radisson Hotel project leave so much to be desired.
According to him, the Radisson Hotel project was initiated by the State Government by sourcing over N17.5 billion from the Stock Market, and the sum of N2 billion was paid for the acquisition of land.
He noted that just before the exit of the immediate past administration, the ownership changed, leaving Edo State, the core investor, with just 20 percent ownership.
Umakhihe said the state government must assume its prime position as the core investor and owner of the Radisson Hotel.
He added that the committee would avail members of the public more details in its final report.
The committee, according to him, also
observed that some agencies were created by the immediate past administration to execute some specific interest-based projects.
Umakhihe stated that the agencies reported directly to the governor, noting that information about the development is not readily available.
The committee chairman, who listed the Edo State Oil Palm Project Office as one of such agencies, alleged that the opaque approach necessitated the use of consultants with huge financial commitments expended by the past government.
Speaking on the Edo State Information Communication Technology Agency, ICTA, he alleged that the Greenfields Consultancy and Allied Services Limited and Greenzone Technologies took over the role of the ICTA in engaging contractors and vendors for EDSG Technology projects.
He claimed that they were in charge of identifying projects to be executed and selecting the vendors to execute them, noting that several bogus claims were replete in the sector.
“Imagine EDSG committing to paying over N5 billion for cyber security software license for the EdoGov platform for just three years starting from 2023 to 2025.
“Out of this sum, N1.7 billion has already been paid by the immediate past government.
“These are just some of the snippets of what we have unravelled. The job of the committee is still huge,” he said.
Umakhihe said when the committee resume sitting on January 6, 2025, it would look at other critical sectors of the state.
He listed the critical sectors to include the housing sector, education (SUBEB and EDOBEST), Ministry of Environment, College of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Nursing Sciences, and Ministry of Health.
He also listed all agricultural projects including grants from donor agencies, Edo Oil Palm Project, EDSOGPADEC, MOWAA, Edo Electrification Agency, sale of shares in BUA Cement, and the modular refinery project, among others.
Umakhihe expressed optimism that with a commitment to details, the committee would come out with a comprehensive report on the state’s assets and liabilities that would guide the Okpebholo government in making informed decisions.
Tragedy struck on Friday in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State following the death of three policemen and a female suspect in a fatal auto crash.
The police officers and the suspect died when a truck lost control and rammed into the vehicle the operatives were travelling in.
With the identities of the victims yet to be known as of press time, the police officers, who were part of the monitoring unit of the police command in the state, left Akure, the state capital, to effect an arrest in Ore before the incident.
With one of the sources who craved anonymity revealing that the victims died on the spot, it was stated that one police officer sustained serious injuries and had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
He said, “the truck lost control while descending the Ore Bridge and rammed into the police vehicle that was in front of it.
“The one that sustained injuries was rushed to the hospital. It was later that we had information that the lady who also died in the accident was a suspect who the police officers had come to arrest from Akure.
Also, the State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, stressed that a report regarding the accident will soon be issued.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, said Nigeria needs to invest $20 billion annually to achieve its economic targets by 2030.
Edun disclosed this on Friday during the Citizens and Stakeholders Engagement on the Implementation of Presidential Priorities and Ministerial Deliverables for the Fourth Quarter of 2024, held in Abuja.
Edun stressed the urgency of the investment, noting its role in driving economic growth and facilitating infrastructural development.
According to him, an additional $20 billion per year is required to grow the economy by an average of 6.3 percent in the medium term.
“We need significantly more growth,” Edun stated. “An additional $20 billion is the target we need for social infrastructure to facilitate logistics for agriculture.”
This comes as President Bola Tinubu in 2023 announced a $1 trillion gross domestic product, GDP target by 2030.
In 2023, Nigeria’s economy stood at $363 billion. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS puts GDP for the first three quarters of 2024 at $134 billion. In line with the data by NBS, Nigeria needs to add at least $866 billion between October 2024 and December 2030. This equates to increasing GDP size by 7.5 times within six years. This means the $134 billion GDP figure in 2023 must increase by 8.4 per cent by 2024, reaching approximately $145 billion.
A State High Court has ordered the restoration of the suspended local council chairmen in Edo State.
The court, presided by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, issued the order on Friday, December 20, 2024.
Justice Ikponmwonba gave the order while ruling on a suit filed by the embattled 18 council chairmen and the Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON.
The defendants are the Edo State Government, Edo State Governor, Deputy Governor, the Attorney-General of Edo State, the Accountant-General of Edo State and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Community and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The judge granted the claimants/applicants prayers by restraining the defendants from acting on the resolution of the Edo State House of Assembly suspending the claimants.
The court also ordered that the status quo as at December 12, 2024 be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on December 12, 2024.
The judge adjourned the suit to February 17, 2025, for hearing and ordered that a hearing notice be issued and served on the defendants.
Gatekeeper reported that the Edo State House of Assembly had suspended the 18 LG chairmen and their deputies over alleged misconduct and insubordination.
The lawmakers took the decision following a petition filed against the LG chairmen by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Okpebholo had in the petition, accused the local council bosses of insubordination for failing to submit their LGAs’ financial statements to him.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had faulted the suspension of the LG chairmen, describing it as unconstitutional.
Ondo: Policemen, suspect die in auto crash
Nigeria needs $20bn yearly investment to hit N1trn economy target — Finance Minister, Edun
Court orders restoration of suspended Edo LG chairmen
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