Headline
How NAGGW spent N81.2bn to plant 21m trees – Reps
The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the utilisation of ecological funds released to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has uncovered N81.2 billion allegedly spent to plant 21m trees in 11 states.
The investigation is from 2015 till date
Rep. Isma’ila Dabo, the Chairman of the committee in Abuja, decried the persistent of environmental challenges in spite of funds put into the programme.
He said the funds put by the Federal Government and international partners necessitated the investigation.
He said the committee would embark on, on-the-spot assessment tour to all the projects executed under this scheme to ascertain the claims.
He said the committee was not out to scandalise any individual or organisation but only to ensure that public funds were utilised for the purpose they were given.
“We will not shy away from pointing fingers where necessary, not out of personal animosity but simply in the national interest of our nation.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 11 states where the trees are planted are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
The committee expressed displeasure over conflicting financial reports submitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and office of the Accountant General of the Federation (oAGF) to the committee.
Piqued by the inability of the agency to substantiate most of the tree planting projects carried out so far, the committee said 80 per cent of trees planted by the agency did not survive.
Meanwhile, the documents submitted by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein showed that the total sum of N19.378 billion was released from the derivation and Ecology Accounts to the agency from Feb 2019 to date.
Responding to questions from the committee, NAGGW Managing Director, Dr Yusuf Bukar, said the Great Green Wall Act was signed by Mr. President in 2015.
He said it enabled the agency to implement the Nigerian component of the programme as an initiative of the African Union being implemented in 11 African countries.
This according to him, is to address the problem of land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change and livelihood of affected communities.
He saud the agency planted 1 million trees in Borno, Yobe and other states, adding that N2.4 billion was released in the first phase and N7.3 billion released in the second phase.
He added that the fund accruing into the agency’s account included 15 per cent of the ecological fund for the Great Green Wall, contribution of fund from the natural resources development fund and gifts.
Others include loans and grants in aid from national bilateral, multilateral organisations and donors, international and development agencies as well as individuals.
He said that the agency often got funds from donor agencies; however, he did not provide relevant documents on the amount received so far.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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