HURIWA asks EFCC to arrest her for padding acknowledged by Finance Ministry
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest or interrogate Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister Zainab Ahmed over the insertion of N206.24 billion in the budget of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
HURIWA also cautioned the EFCC to stop naming public officials as its Ambassadors since the EFCC cannot award traditional titles because it is meant to fight a real war against saboteurs in government who have destroyed the economy.
A statement issued by HURIWA National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko knocked the announcement of National Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Vice Chairman Umar Danbatta as an Ambassador of the EFCC as irregular and inappropriate since it suggests he has become a sacred cow.
It also means the financial affairs of the NCC under Danbatta’s control may never come under scrutiny should there be allegation of misconduct, HURIWA argued.
It cautioned the EFCC to respect itself because Nigerians see it as waging an anti-graft war, therefore, awarding “chieftaincy titles of the so-called ambassadors of EFCC belittles [its] essence.”
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Corruption under Buhari
Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Farouq last week told senators that N206,242,395,000 was added to the ministry’s 2023 budget by the Finance Ministry without her knowledge, Onwubiko said, according to reporting by Daily Post.
Ahmed’s Media and Communications Adviser Yunusa Abdullahi later explained in a statement the amount wrongly captured in the budget of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
Also last week, the Senate uncovered the forgery of signatures of participants in payment of over N208 million in the skills acquisition programme organised by the Ministry of Labour headed by Chris Ngige.
HURIWA rejected the explanation of the Finance Ministry that of N206.24 billion was wrongly captured in the budget of the Humanitarian Ministry and insisted those responsible be arrested and made to give a proper statement under oath.
It accused the Muhammadu Buhari administration of encouraging corruption, contrary to the “weird propaganda” in some quarters that it is fighting graft.
“Corruption in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is mind-boggling and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission are overlooking these spectacular crimes.
“This, sadly, is the greatest cause of insecurity because a corrupt government is even a threat to national security,” Onwubiko said.
History of budget padding
“Budget padding is not alien to Nigerian ministries, departments and agencies. Just in September, the ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, disclosed that the N13.59 trillion 2021 budget was padded by MDAs with duplicated projects worth N300bn.
“He also said project duplication worth N100bn were also inserted into the N17.12trn 2022 budget by some MDAs.
“The explanation or defence of the finance ministry is lame and unacceptable.
“Nigerians won’t sit down and watch these shenanigans under the APC-controlled government whose officials have exhibited grand larceny and corruption like the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, in EFCC net for usurping hundreds of billions of naira and who reportedly gave EFCC a refund of 900,000 USD in cash as part of the alleged siphoned public fund.
“HURIWA demands actions by way of arrests, prosecution of officials who padded the budget for they are economic saboteurs. Anything short of this is aiding and abetting corruption.
“If the EFCC overlooks these crimes, then in the fullness of time, the persons responsible will be apprehended to face justice whenever a God-fearing administration takes office since such heinous crimes are not status barred.”