Vice-President Namadi Sambo
Muhammad Bello
The Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, Thursday disclosed that some of the oil marketers indicted in the fuel subsidy scam have started refunding the money they stole from the Federal Government.
Obi, who was among the governors who rose from the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, supported the move by the Federal Government to recover the N400 billion that had been fraudulently claimed as subsidy by the oil marketers.
Briefing the State House correspondents after the meeting, Obi, though did not disclose the names of the marketers who have started repaying the stolen money, said the Federal Government needs to be supported to recover the money.
“From the report we got today some have started refunding. It is a serious case that people were paid for vessels that were not anywhere near the Nigerian waters. And I think when the Federal Government do a thing that is courageous and right, they should be encouraged and can at least give them the courage to do more.
“So, we support the Federal Government in the effort to clean up the entire value chain and process of petroleum industry; they have our full support.”
“We support the Federal Government in their effort to clean up the entire value chain and process of petroleum industry, they have our full support. Council went further to commend the Federal Government on its present stand in the prosecution of those who were wrongly paid subsidy money and the need for them to refund it fully and also support the Federal Government in its determination to privatise power,” Obi said.
The governor admonished Nigerians to show support for the Federal Government to recover the funds.
The AIG Imokuhede-led Presidential Committee on Verification of subsidy claims had indicted no fewer than 25 companies some of whom are sons of prominent Nigerians already being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Just on Wednesday, there were unsubstantiated reports that the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Association (NUPENG) was compromised by the alleged subsidy fraudsters.
The OM&Ts allegedly sourced and distributed the sum of N1 billion to NUPENG and the National Association of Tanker Drivers, to encourage them to help it frustrate the attempt by the apex government to bring them to book over the criminal role they played
In the last couple of days, the oil marketers under the aegis of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA), the Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), have been threatening to shut down their facilities if the Federal Government continues to delay the payment of their outstanding subsidy entitlements.
This action, although still at the level of a threats, has affected the supply and distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some parts of Kogi and Niger States thus creating artificial scarcity of the product.
NEC also considered a presentation by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, on the planned non-partisan Good Governance Publicity Tour being jointly organised by his Ministry and the National Planning Commission.
Realising that the tour is meant to monitor, evaluate and showcase federal and states projects across the six geo-political zones, the council deemed it worthwhile and approved it, Obi explained, stating that the Governor’s Forum has been directed to set up a committee that will meet with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Planning Commission (NPC) to review the logistics for the tour and agree on the date of commencement.