Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “use his good offices to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations that over N3bn of public funds are missing, mismanaged or diverted from the Federal Ministry of Finance.”

The organization said the allegations are documented in the 2018 and 2019 annual audited reports by the Auditor-General of the Federation.

SERAP said: “Anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing public funds should be fully recovered.”

In the letter dated 24 December 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The reports suggest a grave violation of the public trust. As trustee of public funds, the Ministry of Finance ought to ensure strict compliance with transparency and accountability rules and regulations.”

According to SERAP, “as a key agency of government, the Ministry has a sacred duty to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of the country’s resources. This implies providing strong leadership in the efforts to curb public sector corruption.”

“This leadership is important for the Ministry to enjoy the public trust and confidence essential for its effectiveness and impact.”

SERAP said: “The allegations that N3,143,718,976.47 of public funds are missing will also clearly amount to a fundamental breach of national anticorruption laws and the country’s international anticorruption obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”

The letter, read in part: “Investigating and prosecuting the allegations, and recovering any missing public funds would improve the chances of success of your government’s oft-repeated commitment to fight corruption and end the impunity of perpetrators. It will also serve the public interest.”

“According to the report of the Auditor-General for 2018, the Ministry of Finance spent N24,708,090.00 on pre-retirement training but without any document. The consultant hired also failed to quote any price as cost of the training but the Ministry paid N5,670,060.00 to the consultant. Request for payment from the consultant was dated 20 January 2017 while the first payment voucher in his favour was dated 13 January 2017 (7 days before his request).”

“The Ministry also reportedly failed to account for N2,885,772,493.27 released to the Ministry from the Service Wide Vote to take care of estacodes and other allowances for representing the Federal Government in meetings, and contribution to Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).”

“The money was spent without approval, and any documents. The Auditor-General is concerned that the money may have been mismanaged.”

“The Ministry also reportedly awarded a contract on 17th May 2017 for N98,540,500.00 without any document, contrary to the Public Procurement Act. The project was not also budgeted for. There was no evidence of performance of the contract. The Ministry also deducted N9,354,809.52 as WHT and VAT but without any evidence of remittance. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered.”

“The Ministry also reportedly spent N98,759,299.20 between January–December 2017 without any document, contrary to Financial Regulation 601.”

“According to the 2019 report of the Auditor-General, the Ministry paid N20,466,744.00 as cash advances to staff of ‘You-Win’ between 8 February and 18 December, 2018 but the Ministry has failed to retire the money.”

“The advances were granted for the purchase of store items, repairs and other services that would have been made through the award of contract. Government lost N2,046,674.40 which would have accrued as taxes had these jobs been undertaken through award of contracts. The Auditor-General wants the money recovered.”

“The Ministry also reportedly paid N15,471,850.00 to two consultants for capacity building in Kano and Adamawa States but without any supporting document, contrary to paragraph 603 (1) of the Financial Regulations. The Auditor-General is concerned that the money may have been diverted, and wants it recovered.”

“SERAP notes that the consequences of corruption are felt by citizens on a daily basis. Corruption exposes them to additional costs, and undermines economic development of the country, trapping the majority of Nigerians in poverty and depriving them of employment opportunities.”

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”

The letter was copied to Mr Malami; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC); Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; and chairmen of the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly.

Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
26/12/2021
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202

ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT BILL:
PARTIES SHOULD DEMOCRATICALLY DETERMINE THEIR MODE OF PRIMARIES
SPN WELCOMES ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS
The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) notes that President Muhammadu Buhari has withheld assent to the electoral act 2021 amendment bill sent to him by the National Assembly. The President rejected the bill purportedly because it removes the provision for indirect primaries, making direct primaries by all political parties mandatory. The bill also makes provisions for the electronic transmission of results.
We see the controversy over the amendment bill as a reflection of infighting between two different sections of the same thieving elite. The different positions held by the president and National Assembly on direct primaries are driven by their self-serving, short-term interest and not the quest to strengthen democracy as they both claim.
The fact is that the members of the National Assembly want to make direct primary mandatory because they believe it would make it easy for them to get the return tickets. On his part, President Buhari is out to protect the interest of state governors who consider it easier through indirect primaries to impose candidates or secure tickets for reelection or senatorial seats, which have become the playing ground of the former governors.
We hold that direct primaries is not a panacea for the problem of the imposition of candidates by governors and godfathers as the experiences of what obtains in both APC and PDP have shown. Besides, it is illogical to think that the thieving politicians in both APC and PDP, for instance, who buy votes and perpetuate mass riggings in the general elections, cannot do same in the primary elections, either it is through direct or indirect arrangement. For instance, a recent judgment by the Federal High Court held that the direct primary election of APC in Anambra was rigged in favour of Andy Uba to emerge as the party candidate for the last gubernatorial election in the state.
More importantly, regardless of which mode of primary election is used, any candidate who emerges from the anti-poor, pro-capitalist parties like APC and PDP cannot fundamentally represent or defend the interests of working masses and the poor. So ordinary people must not line themselves behind any of the sections in the fight. They are both united against the poor in the government policies and actions.
For instance, the National Assembly endorses all anti-poor policies of President Buhari which have worsened living conditions of the people. They also worked together to smuggle into the Constitution the provisions that prevent any small political parties that represent the interest of the poor like the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) to grow organically by disqualifying them, under the guise of purportedly poor performance, even at the first attempt, in elections massively rigged by both APC and PDP with the connivance of the INEC.
Therefore, it should not be a concern to the ordinary people how APC, PDP or other anti-poor political parties choose their candidates. Rather, working people should be prepared to reject them at the polls.
Nevertheless, while we do not support either of the parties in the current dispute, we strongly hold that the mode of primary election, direct or indirect, should be an internal democratic decision of any party, not an imposition by an external law. It is the party members that should fight for the respect of their democratic right to truly choose their candidates in whatever form they deem desirable.
We welcome the introduction of the provision for the electronic transmission of election results. However, we warn that it is not enough to prevent rigging and manipulation by parties like APC and PDP which have access to stolen public resources to bribe electoral officers and security operatives in order to feed manipulated results into the electronic transmission medium.
More importantly, any reform in the electoral system cannot be a benefit to the working masses without a party that truly represents the aspiration and yearnings of the people at the poll. Therefore, we call on working people and youth to support the SPN and initiatives for the formation of a mass working people party on a socialist program that can wrest power from the thieving elite, currently politically represented by APC, PDP, APGA etc., in order to use the human and material resources of the country for the benefit of the vast majority of the populace.

SIGNED
Abiodun Bamigboye Chinedu Bosah
Acting National Chairperson National Secretary

JULIUS BERGER FACILITY WORKS SIGNS FACILITY UPGRADE CONTRACT WITH IKOYI GOLF CLUB 1938
….as Club Chairman hails engineering construction leader’s works as preferred top quality, good and durable

Julius Berger Facility Works in Lagos has signed a facility upgrade contract with Ikoyi Golf Club 1938. Captain of Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, Dr M.I Okoro lauded Julius Berger Nigeria PLC for its widely acknowledged professionalism in the discharge of its engineering construction and maintenance works, describing the company’s work quality as “the good, durable and preferred standard”. He spoke Tuesday in Lagos at the contract signing ceremony to kick off the comprehensive upgrade of the irrigation system for Ikoyi Golf Club 1938 just as he enjoined the country’s building and construction services sector leader to sustain and better their own record in service delivery on the job. Dr. Okoro proudly added that the partnership between the Club and Julius Berger has come a long way and that it can therefore be sincerely referred to as historical.
Dr. Okoro said, “…on the contract, even as it is for the comprehensive upgrade of the irrigation system in the Golf Course, we advise that there should be an ad-hoc maintenance of the Golf Course. This is because, as you can notice, the current harmattan weather is now affecting the green grass. However, we are confident that the course will be revived and well greened again with Julius Berger facility works ably coming to the rescue. Julius Berger has a great history of performance with us. They constructed our car park long time ago, and as you can all see, it is still there as strong and good as new. So we trust that the company will do a great job of the irrigation upgrade.”
Chairman of Ikoyi Golfers Community of Nigeria Association, IGCNA, Mr. Wahab Aminu-Sarumi did not mince words in re-echoing what the Captain said of Julius Berger even as he wished the Golf Course a rewarding partnership with Julius Berger on the current project.
Present at the contract signing ceremony and flag-off of the facility upgrade works were Lady Captain of the Golf Club, Mrs, Aworanti Oyenike and Course Officer and member of IGCNA, Mr. Peter Eben-Spiff.
Engr. Amina Dotti led the Julius Berger team at the contract-signing ceremony. She assured that the irreducible Julius Berger engineering standard will power the works. Amina was accompanied by the Project Manager, Engr. Rhoderick Picana amongst others to the event.
Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is Nigeria’s leading engineering construction brand, which offers holistic integrated construction solutions and related services including Facility Management.

The Julius Berger Lagos Facility Works is the Lagos-based operational arm of the larger Julius Berger Facility Management Works, which also have an operational arm located at the company’s Region Central North with its hub in Abuja. The Julius Berger Facility Works operate on the impeccable and irreducible corporate core values of best quality, safety, integrity, compliance, partnership and innovation all of which have become definitive of the company’s matchless technical expertise and excellence in the implementation of state-of-the-art methods and technologies.

Julius Berger Facility Works says, “…we are committed to providing a conducive environment to enable our clients achieve their overall goals through the provision of excellent and sustainable facility management from one single source, using world-class innovations, technology, skilled personnel and global best practices to ensure the functionality, comfort, safety, durability, sustainability and efficiency of a property”.

With affirmative International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification as well with a proven record of accomplishment and delivery, Julius Berger Facility Works’ Quality Management Systems are well equipped to satisfy the customers’ needs. Julius Berger Facility Works focuses majorly on the provision of hard and soft Services for buildings and building systems, energy management models, refurbishment and upgrade of buildings and ancillary services, facility management consultancy services to corporate organizations and private clients with net worth real estate assets.

The qualitative and reliably professional Julius Berger badge of competence, technical edge and robustly integrated logistical systems assures high quality services delivery to all clients while ensuring minimum total life cycle cost and value retention of an asset to the owner

Julius Berger Abumet Shares Love at Christmas, Donates food and treated Mosquito Nets to the Less-Privileged in Abuja
In the spirit of the season, Abumet, Nigeria’s leading full-service aluminium and glass solutions company has donated food items and insecticidal treated nets to the less privileged in its host communities within the FCT.
Some of the communities that benefited from the company’s recent Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gesture are Idu-Paipe, close to the Idu Railway Station, and Piwoyi Community along the Airport Road, in Abuja. At Idu-Paipe, the company reached 540 households through the distribution of Insecticidal Treated Nets (ITN) to students and staff of LEA Primary School, Idu Paipe.
Addressing pupils and staff of the school, the Human Resources Manager, Abumet Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chime Nnabugwu, explained that the company is optimistic that the ITNs will help to curb the spread of malaria within the community while reducing the number of school absenteeism caused by malaria infection. Each student also received an Abumet branded string bag.
The Head Teacher of the school Mr. Agyo Sabo expressed his happiness and noted that the gesture was the first of its kind since he began working at the school. “It is very obvious from the kind of joy you see the pupils express. It means a lot to them. This is the first time we are receiving something like this from anybody since I have been here. And it is also quite an honour to have the General Manager (Mr. Alexander Hausner) lead the delegation to our school. We thank Abumet and its entire management and we hope they will visit us again with more in the coming year”, Sabo said.
In Piwoyi Community, Bema Home for Orphans and the Less-Privileged received about a million naira worth of food items, toiletries, and educational materials.
The General Manager of Abumet Nigeria Limited, Mr. Alexander Hausner, personally handed over the educational items pack to each student and encouraged them to be studious and hopeful for a great future. Receiving the other items, the Director, Bema Homes, Mr. Benedict Dzreke described the day as a special day for the orphanage. “For you, as a company to come and put a smile on the faces of our precious children is a thing of joy. I believe that what you have done today is not a misplacement. For the gifts presented to us today, we are short of words.”
Benedict extoled the humility and simplicity of the General Manager of Abumet. He said, “We want to thank you Mr. Alexander Hausner for personally leading the delegation. You have come here without the large entourage or a retinue of security we are accustomed to when a high-profit person is visiting the home. Abumet is a big name in Nigeria and your superior quality aluminium works are known all over, so also is the quality of reception that you accord to your customers.
“On behalf of Bema Homes, I want to thank you for the kind gesture, and we pray that the good Lord who sees in secrete, reward your company in the open. We want to see your company expand across Africa because of the quality of work you do”, Benedict Dzreke concluded.
Some Abumet staff who accompanied the General Manager, Alexander Hausner on the CSR outing were the Human Resources Manager, Chime Nnabugwu, and the company’s Brand Marketing Coordinator, Esther Duruibe. Others are Michael Ashofor and Ayomide Sunmonu of the Corporate Communications Department of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
Abumet is a member of the Julius Berger Group. It offers innovative, high-quality aluminium and glass products and services, making it available for delivery and installation across Nigeria and beyond. The company actively seeks the latest advances in aluminium and glass engineering and manufacturing, continuously upgrading its products and services for the benefit of its customers and clients.