A rash of corruption is said to run through the office of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P)/Federal Task Force in Lagos.
SURE-P came on board after the 2012 fuel subsidy removal protests that rocked the country. Abuja devised the project to cushion the effect of the removal on citizens through training and empowerment.
About 50,000 youths are targeted to benefit.
In July 2014, the federal government granted approval for the take-off of SURE-P FERMA project, otherwise known as Federal Task Force, to control traffic on federal highways and recover “stolen” federal property.
Over 5,000 people are expected to participate in Lagos alone.
SURE-P National Coordinator, Abdurazak Otto, said the task force activities will kick off in Lagos and later move to other states in the South West before moving to other parts of the federation.
Bribe and other costs
But investigation by TheNiche showed that the lofty project is hit by corruption as recruits are reportedly forced to pay money to participate, contrary to the government’s directive after botched recruitment exercise of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) last year in which people died.
“I paid N10,000 but some people paid more than that depending on who is helping you out,” a recruit who preferred anonymity disclosed.
It is also alleged that recruits are also asked to pay for kits after training.
A man who has finished training lamented that the major problem for him is that he cannot afford the amount demanded.
According to him, the uniform and the boot cost N32,5000; cap (N1,500); T-shirt (N2,000); a total N36,000.
Another aspiring recruit also declared that he has no money to process his recruitment.
“I don’t have money or else I would have joined. A friend said he paid before he could join them,” he moaned.
SURE-P National Publicity Director, Olawale Oyeboh, could not be reached for comment at press time.
Alarm over fake forms
Otto had raised the alarm on November 17 last year that fraudulent people were on the prowl to sell fake employment forms across the country.
He warned such people to desist because anyone caught in the act will be prosecuted.
He named the states where fake forms were said to be sold as Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Osun, Edo, and Delta.
Otto explained that the activities of the establishment will initially be limited to Lagos after which SURE-P will expand to other South West states and finally to other parts of the country.
His words: “The Sure-P/FERMA Federal Taskforce created to manage traffic on federal roads and to recover stolen federal government property is known for its standard, discipline and loyalty in the discharge of its federal duties. Hence anything contrary to this is unacceptable.
“It has been brought to our notice that some unknown public individuals have been trying to dent the good image of the newly established Sure-P/FERMA Federal Taskforce by indulging in some fraudulent acts like the selling of the Sure-P/FERMA Federal Taskforce forms in states like Kogi, Kwara, Ibadan, Osun, Edo, and Delta.
“This displays a very high level of criminality, as the programme is meant to commence first in Lagos after which it will gradually and structurally cover all the South West states and the 36 states of the federation.”
Fashola unhappy with SURE-P
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has disclosed that subsidy removal has saved over N6 trillion for the federal treasury.
He made the disclosure at the fifth anniversary of Uniformed Voluntary Clubs in Lagos State public schools at the Police College, Ikeja, where he frowned at the rift between the task force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA)
Fashola criticised the funding of SURE-P, suspecting a political agenda in it ahead of the elections next month.
“In time of elections, all manner of behaviours would be seen. The report got to me and I think they are men of FERMA. That is what we have done with our SURE-P money.
“It is now for Nigerians and Lagosians to ask the federal government and the president if they have been honest with us on SURE-P savings of over N6 trillion, without appropriation on import of fuel,” Fashola said.
Alleged missing N500b
Christopher Kolade, the first Chairman of SURE-P, resigned last year on health grounds caused by old age.
There were allegations that N500 billion was missing from the coffers, but he said he explained in his letter of resignation to President Goodluck Jonathan “that having done this SURE-P programme for two years and because within the next month I would be clocking 81, I am giving up some activities that take my energy.
“The letter I wrote was sent on the 26 of September long before the rumour of the missing fund started, so there is no connection between the two.”
Kolade lamented that some media houses did not do enough investigation before going to press.
“To write an editorial based on rumour (because they refused to get the truth before writing) is a waste of energy and a betrayal of trust. The media have the responsibility of informing the public and they must do so with facts.”
He said the SURE-P committee was responsible for managing, on behalf of the government, only 41 per cent of funds accruing from fuel subsidy removal.
He explained that 54 per cent out of the remaining 59 per cent goes to states and councils and the last 5 per cent is allocated to the Ecological Fund.
“The group that started this rumour said that this committee appeared before the National Assembly (NASS) and only accounted for N300 billion out of the N800 billion that is the totality of the money.
“So, if the committee accounted for N300 billion, in order words, we have accounted for our 41 per cent. So, is the remaining N500 billion really unaccounted for?”
“The answer is ‘no’ because we know that the 59 per cent goes to states, local governments and the Ecological Fund, and this does not show that the fund is missing.
“It just shows that the persons who said the fund is missing are deliberately ignorant of the fact of the case.
“I say so because the minister of finance published the breakdown of the amount of money that goes to each area.”
It was learnt that too many invitation by the NASS was unsettling for Kolade, a former Ambassador to Britain.
A source said NASS committees publicised the SURE-P in negative light even when there were no facts to back up their claims.
“Frequent National Assembly harassment is what forced the respected boardroom specialist to quit,” said a source who also maintained that “the man got the impression that some forces were out to rubbish anyone connected with SURE-P.”