COVER
EFCC Probes $6bn Mambilla Power Project
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project, which is a subject of legal tussle.
Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu disclosed this yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power to defend the 2023 budget.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam had earlier raised concern over the situation of Mambilla Power Project.
The Minister said the Ministry has met with stakeholders and all issues of concern were being resolved adding that the litigation on the Mambilla power project was hampering the project.
“Regarding Mambilla, we have met with stakeholders and we are resolving the situation. It has something to do with litigation, there is nothing going on as regards moving to site by the contractor.
“EFCC has stepped into the matter and we have given them information about it, we have given them history of Power Project, our lawyers had interfaced with the anti-graft agency, unless we are able to pull out of litigation, we can’t do anything.
“I don’t think the investor will bring their money where there is encumbrance,” Engr. Aliyu said.
Senator Suswam said that the project was a mirage as far as National Assembly was concerned adding that money had been budgeted year in year out and there was nothing on ground to show for it.
According to him, “to us in National Assembly, the Mambilla Power Project is a mirage, there is nothing to show for it despite the money that has been provided year in, year out.
“It is clear that the Mambilla power project will not be able to start before the end of this administration,” he said.
Federal Government awarded a $6 billion Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Co. Limited and its Chinese consortium partners on May 22, 2003.
Sunrise consortium had secured $5.5 billion in Chinese Eximbank loans in 2005, while the Nigerian government, on May 28, 2007, signed a $1.46 billion civil works contract with the Chinese firm, Messrs China Gezhouba Group Corporation/China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGGC/ CGC), in clear violation of Sunrise’s BOT contract.
In November 2007, Sunrise filed a petition to then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the $1.46 billion EPC contract was terminated in 2009.
Nigerian government signed a General Project Execution Agreement (GOEA) with Sunrise and its Chinese consortium partners for the execution of the Mambilla hydropower project.
However, on November 12, 2017, government signed a $5.8 billion EPC contract with another Chinese Consortium, despite numerous written warnings from the current Attorney-General of the Federation to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in 2016 and 2017 to respect the GPEA contract with Sunrise. Sunrise resorted to arbitration against the Nigerian State and Sinohydro consortium of China in 2018, claiming $2.3 billion in damages.
With the intervention of the Chinese president, who sent a special envoy to President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2019, Federal Government and Sunrise signed a settlement agreement in January 2020 and this settlement was advised to both the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and Chairman of China Eximbank, who had made the settlement condition precedent to any loans for the Project.
However, the Federal Government defaulted. Sunrise, in September 2021, withdrew the $500 million settlement arbitration on the condition that the Federal Government makes a financial commitment towards the project and respects its right as the exclusive local content partner, but the Federal Government failed again to make any payments to the EPC contractors and/or the counterpart funds to China Eximbank.
While the Federal Government has been unable to defend its failure to honour its agreements to Sunrise, however, the government requested that the ICC should direct “that Sunrise produce certain information showing its true legal and beneficial ownership.”
The request, according to the government, was based on the allegation that there exist Pandora papers suggesting that Mr Leno Adesanya secretly transferred an interest in Sunrise to the family of Nigeria’s former National Security Adviser, Mr Sambo Dasuki.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday disclosed that a total sum of N7.31 trillion accrued to the Federation Account between July and Dec. 2023.This was captured in the monthly report to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the caption “CBN Federation Account Component Statement”.
This amount is higher than the sum of N5. 244 trillion realised in the first half of year 2023, according to a statement signed by the RMAFC Chairman, Mr. Mohammed Bello Shehu and made available to the media in Abuja.The chairman disclosed that out of the total gross revenue inflows into the Federation Account, the sum of N1,692 trillion was transferred to the Exchange Gain Differential Account, thus leaving a balance of N5.475 billion for distribution.He added that from the amount stated above, the sum of N3.26 trillion was deducted as approved statutory deductions by the OAGF, leaving a net balance of N2.2 trillion for distribution to the three tiers of government within the period under review.The chairman explained that out of the N3.267 trillion statutory deduction indicated above, N2.251 trillion was transferred to the Non-Oil Excess Account as savings, thus leaving a net statutory deduction of N1.016 trillion with further augmentations for sharing among the three tiers of government received from some “reserve accounts.”The statement added that within the period under review, the net sum of N4 trillion was shared with the three tiers of government, an amount higher than the total sum of N3.06 trillion.In terms of percentages, the chairman stressed that “the statutory deduction in the second half of the year constituted 44.12 percent of the total gross inflow into the Federation Account in the six-month period, which was higher than the first half deductions of 42.31 percent (inclusive of transfer to the Non-Oil Excess Account).”On remittances by Revenue Generating Agencies (RGAs), the RMAFC chairman disclosed that out of the total gross revenue inflows into the Federation Account, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) remitted N874 64 billion in the second half of the year as against the zero-remittance made in the first half of the year.Similarly, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) remitted the sum of N1.56 trillion while the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) remitted N3.65 trillion
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting yesterday ended without a word on the much talked-about replacement of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum, an indication that he will continue to function in that position.
In an interview with newsmen after the meeting, the PDP spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba said for now, the party is focusing on issues of reconciliation and its stability, adding that the issue of the Acting National Chairmanship had been “deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15, 2024″. Also speaking, the Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed said the party is united as there was no dissension and rancour.In his words, “It was planned that the party would have an implosion. PDP is more than that. We have gone beyond all that. This party is united, guided by experience and constitutionality.”There were a lot of permutations and mischievous thinking outside there. But we looked at all the issues and we worked along our guidelines and constitution.“There is no problem or dissension and problem among members,” Mohammed said.The well attended NEC meeting was held amid tight security as police and personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) condoned off roads leading to the PDP Secretariat, Abuja and diverted vehicular traffic.It will be recalled that the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had passed a vote of confidence on Damagum during its meeting on Tuesday.A communique issued at the end of the three hours meeting commended all the organs of the party for their collective resilience, steadfastness and commitment towards the unity, stability and sustenance the party despite daunting challenges.The communique commended the efforts of the NWC in its effort towards rebranding the party and urged all party members to continue to work together for the success of the PDP for the benefit of Nigerians and sustenance of democracy in our country.The document which was read by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, however, expressed concern over what it described as the ill-implemented policies of the APC administration, leading to worsening insecurity, harrowing economic hardship, soaring unemployment rate, high cost of food and other necessities of life with pervading misery and despondency across the country.”NEC expresses serious apprehension over the spate of acts of terrorism and violence including the escalated cases of mindless killings, mass abduction of innocent Nigerians and marauding of communities in various parts of the country.”NEC condemns the insensitivity, nonchalance, incompetence and arrogance in failure of the APC administration which continues to conduct itself in a manner that shows that it has no iota of interest or commitment towards the wellbeing of Nigerians.”NEC also condemns the creeping totalitarianism and tendencies towards a One-Party State which is inimical to the peace, stability and corporate existence of our nation as well as the development of Democracy and good governance in the country,” it said.The communique demanded that President Bola Tinubu should urgently convene a special National Security Council meeting to proffer a holistic solution and measures to curb the disturbing insecurity with its attendant negative consequences on the nation.It also called on the president to “immediately rejig his Economic Team to bring in persons of proven integrity and competence without bias and vested interest to assist in repositioning the economy.”NEC further demands that the Federal Government should review all policies and programmes which are stifling the economy with suffocating effect on the lives of citizens; including the increase in price of fuel without cushioning measures, hike in electricity tariff, increased taxation and implementation of adverse fiscal policies,” the communique added.Present at the meeting were FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and many other past and presently elected members of the PDP.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday announced a review of the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) for banks from 65 percent to 50 percent to align with the current monetary tightening.
LDR is used to assess a bank’s liquidity by comparing its total loans to its total deposits.
An increase in the loan-to-deposit ratio allows banks to expand their credits to businesses and individuals, however, a decline in LDR reduces their ability to loan customers from depositors’ funds.
CBN disclosed the increase in a circular titled “Re: Regulatory Measures to Improve Lending to the Sector of the Nigerian Economy”, signed by Adetona Adedeji, CBN Acting Director, Banking Supervision Department.
“Following a shift in the b ank’s policy stance towards a more contractionary approach, it is imperative to review the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) policy to align with the current monetary tightening by the CBN,” the apex bank said.
“Accordingly, the CBN has decided to reduce the LDR by 15 percentage points to 50%, in a similar proportion to the increase in the CRR rate for banks.
“All DMBs are required to maintain this level and are further advised that average daily figures shall continue to be applied to assess compliance.”At the last monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting on March 26, the CBN retained the CRR at 45 percent and the liquidity rate at 30 percent.
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