Allison Madueke and the N3.120b private jets

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Posted in: Man in the News

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By Chukwudi Nweje

Assistant Features Editor

Allegations had been rife that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke had never travelled on a commercial aircraft since she was appointed to that office in April 2010. Rather, it is said that she has reportedly been going on chartered private jets at the expenses of tax payers. In fact, they say she has about two or three of them and the average cost per trip of the chartered private jets is put at about $300,000. Recently, a motion endorsed by the House indicated that Alison-Madueke allegedly spent N10b to run the jet for her personal trips within the country and abroad. It had also been said that it costs about $500,000 per month to maintain the jets. Some pertinent questions analysts have been asking since these information started trickling out many months ago included how does she pay for the services of these jets? Is there a budgetary provision? Who approved it? As a minister of the Federal Republic, is she entitled to a private jet funded by public resources?

It is in the light of this that the decision of the House of Representatives to probe the estimated N3.120b the Minister allegedly spent on the maintenance of these private jets is a welcome development. The decision followed a motion by Babatunde Adejare, (APC) Lagos State, who informed the House that maintaining the jet alone, gulped N3.120b in the last two years and that the minister reportedly spent N130m monthly to keep the jets. Continue reading “Allison Madueke and the N3.120b private jets”

Reps and another high profile probe

Culled from Nigerian Tribune
24.Mar.2014 DISQUS_COMMENTS

In this report, KOLAWOLE DANIEL examines last week’s resolution of the House of Representatives to probe allegation of multi-billion financial recklessness against the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke can safely be referred to as the most controversial minister in the President Goodluck Jonathan administration ever since her appointment and Most of the allegations against her have to do with spending of government money.

Since her appointment, she has continued to face stiff opposition from the opposition parties, civil society organisations and various individuals over the way and manner she is managing the nation’s most precious resource. Continue reading “Reps and another high profile probe”

Corruption not overstated, CACOL tells Jonathan

Culled from Sunday Punch
March 23, 2014 by Tobi Aworinde 1 Comment
President Goodluck JonathanPresident Goodluck Jonathan

The Coalition against Corrupt Leaders has decried President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent statement that corruption in the country has been blown out of proportion.

President Goodluck Jonathan, at a meeting with the Nigerian community in Windhoek, Namibia on Thursday, had said corruption in Nigeria had been exaggerated and the trend had negatively affected the image of the country.

The President also noted that his administration would not condone the menace, but that using the proverbial big stick would not be a solution to end corruption. Continue reading “Corruption not overstated, CACOL tells Jonathan”

$20bn: Groups ask Jonathan to suspend Okonjo-Iweala, Diezani

Culled from Sunday Punch
March 23, 2014 by Leke Baiyewu 91 Comments
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-MaduekeMinister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

Some civil society groups have called for the suspension of the Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her Petroleum Resources counterpart, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, pending the time accounts of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation are audited.

One of the groups said it was filing its second petition to President Goodluck Jonathan to press home its demand that the ministers should stay out of office pending the time the NNPC audit lasted. Continue reading “$20bn: Groups ask Jonathan to suspend Okonjo-Iweala, Diezani”

N24bn police pension: Okonjo-Iweala brandishing fake documents -Reps

Culled from The Punch
March 20, 2014 by John Ameh, Abuja 52 Comments
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Thursday accused the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of “brandishing fake and forged documents” in her defence of the alleged missing N24bn from Police Pension Fund.
The committee had resumed sitting on the investigation on Thursday with the‎ Director-General of Pension Transitional Arrangement Department, Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, and representatives of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in attendance. Continue reading “N24bn police pension: Okonjo-Iweala brandishing fake documents -Reps”

Confab procedure rules drafted, for adoption Monday • Group condemns delegates’ demand for extra allowance

 

Culled from The Guardian Mobile

Friday 21st March, 2014
AS delegates to the National Conference prepare to resume for serious business on Monday, the Secretariat has completed the draft of the rules for the modus operandi and course of action.

The Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, James Akpandem, in a statement Thursday in Abuja said the “draft Rules of Procedure for the National Conference to delegates will enable them prepare for the debate, ratification and subsequent adoption on Monday, March 24, 2014 when the plenary resumes.”

Akpandem, who did not make clear what is contained in the rules, said it is expected that the delegates will adopt it and “when adopted, the provisions will form the official rules of proceedings for the Conference.”

The statement also noted that a copy of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was also made available to delegates on Thursday as indicated during the inaugural sitting by the Chairman of Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi. Continue reading “Confab procedure rules drafted, for adoption Monday • Group condemns delegates’ demand for extra allowance”

CONFAB: CACOL Chides Delegates Demanding Pay For Aides

The Coalition Against Corruption Leaders (CACOL) has scolded some of the delegates to the ongoing national conference that requested that  their personal aides be paid by the government.
Each of the delegates is to receive N12m for the three months exercise. The allowance include money for accommodation, transportation, part of feeding (the delegates are to have free lunch at the venue of the conference.
The delegates are expected to have aides such as drivers and personal assistants in order to ease their works and movements; however some of them requested that the Federal Government should take over the allowances of their aides. Continue reading “CONFAB: CACOL Chides Delegates Demanding Pay For Aides”

Unremitted $20bn: CACOL Demands Alison-Madueke’s Suspension For Investigation Of ‘Drain-Pipe’ NNPC

Posted: Mar, 13 2014, 11:03AM
By Saharareporters, New York

Anti-corruption group, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) on Thursday commended President Goodluck Jonathan for approving the forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Accounts (NNPC) over the allegedly unremitted $20bn but called for the suspension of Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke while the probe is ongoing.

The group described the approval the forensic audit of NNPC’s books as a step in the right direction, since the corporation is a “known drain pipe” to the coffers of the country.  Continue reading “Unremitted $20bn: CACOL Demands Alison-Madueke’s Suspension For Investigation Of ‘Drain-Pipe’ NNPC”

‘N4m per month for delegates too much’

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders has reacted to reports that the Federal Government had earmarked the sum of N4m monthly on each of the 492 delegates to the national conference.

The Executive Director of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said the amount was too much, adding that each group should sponsor its delegate to the conference.

Speaking in a phone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, Adeniran said CACOL was opposed to government spending N7bn on the conference. Continue reading “‘N4m per month for delegates too much’”

Missing Funds: CACOL Lauds Jonathan’s Approval Of Forensic Audit Of NNPC

 

 Posted by Latest News, NewsThursday, March 13th, 2014

Kayode Adelowokan

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for the approval of forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) accounts.

The Presidency made this known in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that it had authorised the engagement of reputable international firms to carry out the forensic audit of the accounts of the Corporation, however, it did not give details of the firms. Continue reading “Missing Funds: CACOL Lauds Jonathan’s Approval Of Forensic Audit Of NNPC”