$1.8bn refineries repairs: SERAP, NBA VP, others knock FG

…for awarding contracts to firms indicted in $1.2bn Malabu
scam

Civil rights groups and eminent lawyers on Friday berated the
President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for awarding
$1.8bn contracts for the Turn Around Maintenance of refineries to
some companies indicted in the $1.2bn Malabu scam.

The groups, including the Socio-Economic Right and
Accountability Project, in separate interviews with newsmen
Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said the government’s action had shown
that it was not serious with the anti-graft war.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the
fresh TAM plan for the country’s four refineries had on Tuesday
queried the criteria used in selecting the consortium of firms
listed for the contracts.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had set aside over
$1.8bn for the repairs, which the corporation preferred to call
“comprehensive rehabilitation”, as against the traditional TAM.

The House is investigating the desirability of another TAM on
the refineries after a series of TAM in the past reportedly gulped
“over $20bn” and still left the plants operating at below 20 per
cent installed capacity.

The panel, which is chaired by a member of the All Progressives
Congress from Kaduna State, Mr. Garba Datti-Muhammad, had summoned
the NNPC to produce documents on the status of the refineries and
the financial implications of running them at the expense of
taxpayers.

But, on Tuesday, after examining the documents, lawmakers
observed that some of the firms engaged to carry out the fresh
$1.8bn TAM were facing corruption charges across the globe,
including the celebrated $1.2bn Malabu oil deal linked to former
Nigerian government top officials.

Among the consortium of firms on the NNPC’s list were names like
Trafigura, ENI, MIRS and Sahara.

The lawmakers particularly cited the case of ENI, whose
directors they said were facing prosecution in some countries,
including Italy.

Some Nigerians, including two lawyers, Mr. Monday Ubani, who is
the 2nd Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association and the
President of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Mr. Malachy
Ugwummadu, condemned the award of refineries TAM’ contract to some
companies indicted in the Malabu scam.

Reacting to the development on Friday, Ugwummadu said the
conduct of the Federal Government through the NNPC by engaging the
indicted companies in such contract, violated constitutional
provisions which mandate the government to abolish corruption in
the country.

He said, “You will appreciate that the controversy surrounding
the OPL 245 Malabu oil deal is one of a national embarrassment with
international dimension.

“Our concern is that the controversy and the web of intrigues
are such that the image of Nigeria as a country struggling with
corruption has further plummeted as a result of our inability to
track the components of corruption network at a time when the
accomplices that engaged in the same chain of corrupt transactions
are being prosecuted in other climes.

“To further compound the embarrassing situation is this
revelation that companies allegedly involved in the same corrupt
activities have now been rehabilitated and then certified to be fit
and proper to continue transacting with NNPC.

“That is clearly against section 15(5) of the Constitution which
is to the effect that the state shall abolish all forms of corrupt
practices and abuse of office.”

On his part, Ubani said it was a blow to the image of a country
that claims to be fighting corruption.”

Also, SERAP and CACOL scolded the NNPC over the award of $1.8bn
TAM contract to the indicted firms.

The civil societies said the NNPC had made the Federal
Government’s fight against corruption look like noisemaking,
calling on anti-graft agencies such as the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission to conduct an independent and thorough
investigation, apart from what the House of Representatives was
doing on the matter.

The SERAP Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said, “If you worked for
a particular establishment and the work given to you was done in a
manner that was inappropriate, that should indicate to the person
you worked for that you have no integrity and you cannot deliver
efficiently.

“This will only show that the government is serious and whatever
agenda the government proposes will be effectively accomplished.
But for the NNPC to now give contracts to these firms shows the
government is not serious and that all what we are saying about
anti-corruption is noisemaking.”

The CACOL Director, Debo Adeniran, said, “Our stand is that the
House of Representatives is not an anti-corruption agency. As long
as there is an evidence that these contracts have been awarded to
firms under investigation or indicted under some previous
contracts, there is no point in wasting time and resources to set
up another investigative panel whose report will now be taken to
anti-graft agencies.”

…for awarding contracts to firms indicted in $1.2bn Malabu
scam

Civil rights groups and eminent lawyers on Friday berated the
President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for awarding
$1.8bn contracts for the Turn Around Maintenance of refineries to
some companies indicted in the $1.2bn Malabu scam.

The groups, including the Socio-Economic Right and
Accountability Project, in separate interviews with newsmen
Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said the government’s action had shown
that it was not serious with the anti-graft war.

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the
fresh TAM plan for the country’s four refineries had on Tuesday
queried the criteria used in selecting the consortium of firms
listed for the contracts.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had set aside over
$1.8bn for the repairs, which the corporation preferred to call
“comprehensive rehabilitation”, as against the traditional TAM.

The House is investigating the desirability of another TAM on
the refineries after a series of TAM in the past reportedly gulped
“over $20bn” and still left the plants operating at below 20 per
cent installed capacity.

The panel, which is chaired by a member of the All Progressives
Congress from Kaduna State, Mr. Garba Datti-Muhammad, had summoned
the NNPC to produce documents on the status of the refineries and
the financial implications of running them at the expense of
taxpayers.

But, on Tuesday, after examining the documents, lawmakers
observed that some of the firms engaged to carry out the fresh
$1.8bn TAM were facing corruption charges across the globe,
including the celebrated $1.2bn Malabu oil deal linked to former
Nigerian government top officials.

Among the consortium of firms on the NNPC’s list were names like
Trafigura, ENI, MIRS and Sahara.

The lawmakers particularly cited the case of ENI, whose
directors they said were facing prosecution in some countries,
including Italy.

Some Nigerians, including two lawyers, Mr. Monday Ubani, who is
the 2nd Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association and the
President of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Mr. Malachy
Ugwummadu, condemned the award of refineries TAM’ contract to some
companies indicted in the Malabu scam.

Reacting to the development on Friday, Ugwummadu said the
conduct of the Federal Government through the NNPC by engaging the
indicted companies in such contract, violated constitutional
provisions which mandate the government to abolish corruption in
the country.

He said, “You will appreciate that the controversy surrounding
the OPL 245 Malabu oil deal is one of a national embarrassment with
international dimension.

“Our concern is that the controversy and the web of intrigues
are such that the image of Nigeria as a country struggling with
corruption has further plummeted as a result of our inability to
track the components of corruption network at a time when the
accomplices that engaged in the same chain of corrupt transactions
are being prosecuted in other climes.

“To further compound the embarrassing situation is this
revelation that companies allegedly involved in the same corrupt
activities have now been rehabilitated and then certified to be fit
and proper to continue transacting with NNPC.

“That is clearly against section 15(5) of the Constitution which
is to the effect that the state shall abolish all forms of corrupt
practices and abuse of office.”

On his part, Ubani said it was a blow to the image of a country
that claims to be fighting corruption.”

Also, SERAP and CACOL scolded the NNPC over the award of $1.8bn
TAM contract to the indicted firms.

The civil societies said the NNPC had made the Federal
Government’s fight against corruption look like noisemaking,
calling on anti-graft agencies such as the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission to conduct an independent and thorough
investigation, apart from what the House of Representatives was
doing on the matter.

The SERAP Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said, “If you worked for
a particular establishment and the work given to you was done in a
manner that was inappropriate, that should indicate to the person
you worked for that you have no integrity and you cannot deliver
efficiently.

“This will only show that the government is serious and whatever
agenda the government proposes will be effectively accomplished.
But for the NNPC to now give contracts to these firms shows the
government is not serious and that all what we are saying about
anti-corruption is noisemaking.”

The CACOL Director, Debo Adeniran, said, “Our stand is that the
House of Representatives is not an anti-corruption agency. As long
as there is an evidence that these contracts have been awarded to
firms under investigation or indicted under some previous
contracts, there is no point in wasting time and resources to set
up another investigative panel whose report will now be taken to
anti-graft agencies.”