- As Niger Delta lauds FG’s take-off approval of Okerenkoko varsity
Against the backdrop of serious disparities in remittances by present and past administrations at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has ordered fresh investigation into them, saying it smells the rat in the revenue generating agencies.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun who indicated this when she addressed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council’s meeting, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, also said same treatment may be extended to other similarly suspected revenue generating agencies.
She revealed that the council specifically directed the ministry of finance to look into the past revenue remittances of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Mrs. Kemi Adeosun
According to her, the disparity in the remittances of the two agencies in the past and now necessitated the decision to probe all previous heads of the two agencies, saying that other agencies with similar discrepancies in their revenue remittances will be probed.
“The highest amount that JAMB had ever remitted into the consolidated revenue fund before this management was N3 million.
“This year so far they have done N5 billion and the Minister of Education reported that they have an additional N3 billion that they are ready to remit which will take this year’s figure alone to N8 billion and they have not increased their charges, they have not increased their fees.
“So, the question the council members were asking is, where was all this money before?
“So, the directive was given that we must call the heads of all these agencies and similar ones to account (for their financial dealings), and that is the directive we have been given and that is what we intend to do and it is a similar story with other agencies.
“These are the leakages which we have now come in and we are blocking.’’
Minister Of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi
The minister reassured that the ministry was on the pathway of resetting the economy and adjusting permanently to a sort of lower oil pricing.
She announced that the Council also approved for Nigeria to rejoin the African Trade Insurance Agency.
According to the minister, this is an agency that is out to provide risk guarantee for private investors coming into Nigeria as well as exporters from Nigeria.
“It will provide risk guarantees. So, instead of projects asking for sovereign guarantees, we will be able to provide that risk mitigation through the African Trade Insurance Agency. Many other countries are already members, so Nigeria will be also joining”, she stated.
“This agency has an A rating internationally and is able to guarantee long term projects.
“So, what we see as a result of this is that there will be increased level of investments, particularly PPP where every often the investors want some guarantee from the government, instead the government issuing sovereign guarantee directly, this agency will step in and issue it.’’
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, also told the correspondents that he briefed the council on the second quarters NBS results on the state of the economy.
He stated that members of the council had pledged to recommit themselves to the full implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan so that Nigerians could feel the full impact of the plan.
The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, disclosed that he briefed FEC on flood and possibly threats of flood in the country.
In the meantime, the Niger Delta people, particularly the Gbararmatu community in Warri South West Local Government Area, have commended the Federal Government for its approval of the immediate take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
Area chairman, Mr Sheriff Mulade, gave the commendation on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Asaba, noting Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s sincere commitment to ensure enduring peace in the area, despite some people’s commitment to the contrary.
The Vice President had, while declaring open the second National Council on Niger Delta in Akure on Tuesday, said that the institution was expected to take off in October.
He also said that the Federal Government had released two billion naira for the take-off of the institution.
Mulade also expressed the group’s pleasure on assurances by the Federal Government for the institution’s take-off.
“We commend President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the immediate take off of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Gbararmatu Kingdom Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
“We equally want to sincerely thank the Vice President for his unflinching support to find a lasting solution to the Niger Delta issues,’’ he stated further, assuring all intending students and the public of adequate security and a conducive learning environment in the university.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi was widely reported to have blown a death whistle on the Okerenkoko university, when shortly after his assumption of office he allegedly announced that Government was shutting down the institution.