Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation,
Abubakar Malami, ( SAN) on Wednesday sought for the understanding
of the Senate for a certain percentage of recovered illicit assets
from offshore accounts for the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Addressing the Senate Committee on Judiciary and other Legal
Matters, Honourable Malami who bemoaned lack of fund for the
operation of his Ministry said it was frustrating its pursuit of
illicit funds.
He said a dedicated expenditure item to enable the Ministry to
carry out payment of legal services and other logistics would
mitigate against its present overwhelming financial challenge. He
expressed reservation over the current arrangement where all the
recovered assets were being deposited into the federal government
treasury through the Federal Ministry of Finance.
He said: “There are several protocols and agreements which
Nigeria is obligated that requires constant travels to keep faith
at these fora.
“I will like to reiterate my earlier request for a dedicated
expenditure item to servicing these crucial international
obligations in order not to renege our responsibilities as a
nation.
Critical functions associated with elections among others
clearly as it relates to the execution of election and election
associated matters keep cropping up and have serious financial
demands that are in no way captured in our budgetary provisions at
times.
“This platform provides another excellent opportunity for me to
push for approval of 2.5% as requisite commission arising from the
recovery of our stolen assets stashed off the shores of
Nigeria.
A unit of asset recovery in the Federal Ministry of Justice has
evidently deposited all recoveries so far into the federal
government treasury it true enough we need a sizeable commission to
replenish our efforts.
“Billions were recovered and have been recovered and are being
pursued without any supporting budgetary provision for the purpose
of pursuing the illicit finances being recovered day in day, day
out through the Federal Ministry of Justice.”
Malami also expressed disaffection over lack of budgetary
provision for an offset of judgement debt both in the 2019 and
2020. He told the Committee that the last time the federal
government made an allocation for such item was in 2017. He further
disclosed that there is an outstanding judgement debt of N150
billion against the federal government locally. He said
indifference to international debt could cast aspersion on the
image of the country in the international community.
He said: “Paucity of funds remains a notorious challenge.
Regardless, we shall not relent on what we have set out to
accomplish largely because the rule of law is undoubtedly the
pillar of democracy the world over. Distinguished committee
members, the rule of law is good and noble but greatly capital
intensive.
“At the home front, judgement debt kept mounting, a threat to
peace, breaches of the peace, outside aggressions and allied
reprehensible violence, extremism have all combined to constitute
suffocating legal challenges with attendant mounting financial
demands in servicing them. It is in public domain that we are today
contending with P&ID judgment prompting us to swiftly moved to
action to save the country from a $9.6B judgement debt
“I want to state on record that no budgetary provision existed
as it relates to contentious issues relating to the defence of the
federal government for the purpose of setting aside this quoted
demand and others.
“This is a clear sign and demonstration of the fact that the
Federal Ministry of Justice work under very difficult circumstances
for the purpose of addressing issues with huge financial demands
leading to circumstances where no budgetary provision exists for
the purpose of addressing the challenges that kept arising
day-in-day-out.”
Earlier in his presentation, Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Judiciary, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, equally expressed disaffection
over what he described as the indifference of the Federal
Government to the judgement debt.
He assured the Attorney General of the Federation that his
Committee would look into the paucity of fund facing the Ministry
but noted that it was not peculiar to the Justice Ministry.
He said: “The Committee is worried about the judgement debt
profile of the country which keeps soaring by the day as there are
no corresponding budgetary allocations to handle such and it is a
matter of concern to the Committee.
“It is on record that the last allocation the Ministry got for
judgement debt was in the 2017 Appropriation Act where the sum of
N10 billion was appropriated. The Committee is deeply concerned
with the failure of our government to service its judgement debt as
expected, which has put our image before the international
community at stake. The Committee would strive to ensure that
budgetary provisions are made in order to offset the debt burden. I
am not talking about $9.6B of P&ID because as far as we are
concerned, it isn’t a legitimate and credible debt.
“The Committee is mindful of the mounting challenges the
parastatals and agencies have been facing in the last couple of
years, especially in the areas of releases of appropriated funds.
The Committee would ensure that all these issues are looked into in
subsequent budgets of Ministries Department and Agencies, (MDAs)and
be taken up with the leadership of the Senate.”
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NAF, Airbus Africa Partner on Aircraft Equipment
Serviceability
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar,
has urged Airbus Africa & Middle East to improve its
maintenance and logistical support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)
in the areas of training and prompt provision of spares in order to
better serve the NAF in its efforts at dealing with the security
challenges confronting the Nation. The CAS made this known today,
23 October 2019, while receiving the President Airbus Africa &
Middle East, Mr Mikail Houari, and other executives of the Company
on a courtesy visit at Headquarters NAF Abuja.
Speaking further, the CAS highlighted that the nature of the
threats confronting Nigeria required strategic partnerships at
governmental and non-governmental levels, not just within Africa
but also in Europe and other parts of the world. The CAS observed
that, by virtue its human and natural resource endowment as well as
its Geo-strategic location, Nigeria deserves the support of all its
partners and friends to deal with the security challenges facing
it. He noted that the NAF, in synergy with sister Services and
other security agencies, has continued to work assiduously to
protect the lives and properties of Nigerians. He further said NAF
personnel were wholeheartedly committed, highly motivated, willing,
able and ready to deal with the terrorists and other criminal
elements to ensure a secured Nigeria. He noted however that this
would require the support of friends and partners, through the
provision of robust technical support and training for more
effective and efficient employment of Air Power. Air Marshal
Abubakar stressed that Airbus Africa and other companies could play
their part, in this regard, by ensuring shortened delivery times
while also providing more comprehensive after sales services.
In his response, Mr Mikail Houari commended the NAF for its
immense contributions as well as the sacrifices made by its
personnel in the fight against insurgency and other forms of
criminality in the Country. He noted that Airbus Africa was
extremely proud of being a part of the NAF’s contributions to
national security over the years. He said the Company, being a
responsible partner, was not unaware of the needs of the Service at
this critical time and would do its utmost to meet these
requirements. He promised that Airbus Africa would continue to do
its best to provide needed equipment, spares, services as well as
training, in a timely and cost-effective manner. In reiterating
their commitment to Nigeria, Mr Houari, stated that the Company had
established a foundation to support young technology start-up
companies, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. This, he
said, was another way of recognizing the critical importance of
Nigeria and indeed the whole of Africa to Airbus.
Others present at the event were Headquarters NAF Principal
Staff Officers as well as Airbus Africa & Middle East
executives. One of the highlights of the visit was the presentation
of models of 2 Airbus-produced aircraft to the CAS.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force