SHOCKING:”FG SQUANDERED N4.17TN ILLEGALLY IN 9 YEARS” – REPS

 

According to a shocking report released by the House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), the Federal Government ‘illegally’ spent over N4 trillion from 2004 to 2012 without the approval of the National Assembly.

The report not only revealed a gross misuse of the Service-wide Vote, which is provided annually to cover 

emergencies that crop up during the year, but also alleged that the Obasanjo government squandered N250 million for the upkeep of the family of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who sought asylum in the country between 2004 and 2006

At a briefing of journalists during the weekend, the Chairman of PAC, Adeola Olamilekan, termed the expenditure incurred as an ‘abuse’ of the Service-wide Vote, explaining that PAC’s investigation revealed that the vote was converted to a recurrent fund by the government, instead of an infrastructure vote.

After cross examination of the Auditor-General’s reports on the accounts of MDAs, the report indicated the following:

1.       An expenditure of N162m from the 2011 Service-wide Vote was tagged “Closing Accounts” incurred by both the Budget and Accountant General’s Office of the Federation.

2.       N1.2bn was spent on the overseas trips of government officials to seek medical attention.

3.       N250m was used for the upkeep of former Liberian President, Mr. Charles Taylor when he sought asylum in the country between 2004 and 2006.

4.       A pattern of increases in releases from the SWV from 2007 to 2012 was also noticed, N1.7tn being the highest spending from 2010 to 2012.

5.       Two security challenges (Niger Delta militancy and the Boko Haram insurgency) were the only “real emergency spending” from the vote that was justified, which cost the government N144.4bn between 2009 & 2012.

Including other “unexplained” expenses incurred, the government spent over N4.17tn contrary to the N1.8tn approved by the National Assembly, implying that an extra-budgetary expenditure of N2.2tn was incurred in the process.

“Such extra-budgetary expenditures constitute a breach of Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and an illegality, Olamilekan explained.”

He added, “These releases were mainly used to finance recurrent expenses not targeted at critical and strategic sectors of the economy and the releases were random and did not follow any clear pattern.”

The Committee urged the House of Reps to scrap the vote if it was poorly implemented, and that the extra-budgetary expenditure during the period “should be investigated and those found culpable should be sanctioned.”

Iran: President-Elect Vows Transparency over Nuclear Issues

President-elect Hassan Rouhani has called for more transparency and mutual trust between Iran and the West over its disputed nuclear programme during his first news conference since Friday's election.

Mr Rouhani described international sanctions imposed on his country over the issue as "unfair" even as he told reporters Tehran would not suspend its uranium enrichment activities - a key stumbling block in the continuing talks between Tehran and world powers. .

During the conference on Monday, he said, "Our nuclear programmes are completely transparent. But, we are ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks."

He added that his government would work towards "constructive interaction with the world", thanking Iranians for "choosing moderation".

He explained that efforts to end continuing fighting in Syria and restore stability must rest with "the Syrian people" and that the economy would be his main priority.

According to him, relations between Iran and the US were "an old wound that needs to be healed".

Iran has been the target of four rounds of UN sanctions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions calling on it to cease enrichment work.

Over the past few years, the West has suspected Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons. However, Iran has defended its programme, claiming it is entirely peaceful

The new Iranian president, who is seen as moderate compared with the other five contenders, has sparked the interests of Western powers, who have given indications that they are willing to strengthen their poor relations with the Islamic republic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani on winning the election, adding that he believes Rouhani will work hard in order to strengthen Russian-Iranian relations.

Blatter Hints at Retaining FIFA Top Post

FIFA president Sepp Blatter again hinted he plans to stand for another four-year term as the head of world football during a speech to AFC delegates in which he called for more World Cup places for Asian teams.

The 77-year-old Swiss, speaking at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, was discussing his reform plans before he appeared to reveal he was not going to quit the presidency in two years time.

"This will be the last term of, not of office, the last term of the reform," Blatter said, smiling as he delivered the message.

Blatter went on to describe that the reform period, brought in to clean up the scandal-hit body that has seen members routinely banned on graft charges, would end in 2015.

The Swiss ignored reporters' requests to clarify his position after the Congress.

Blatter had previously said he planned to step down from office at the end of his latest four-year term in 2015 but opened up a loophole in March by adding that was providing he could find someone to carry on his legacy.

UEFA president Michel Platini, who watched on Thursday as Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain won the AFC presidential election in a landslide, has long been tipped to replace Blatter.

Sheikh Salman said he was grateful for the backing Blatter had given the AFC and said he would reciprocate should the Swiss choose to stay on.

"If he announces, of course," Sheikh Salman told reporters.

 
"He has always been a supporter of Asian football. If he can fulfill and continue as a president, of course I'll support him."

Post-Chavez Venezuela: Where Is This Political Crisis Heading?

“it is very difficult to have a very clear path of how to lead the situation today……we are under major threats from a regime that knows that they lost elections, and they are trying to stop the Venezuelans to gain power, to actually recover freedom and liberties, which is the purpose of the opposition.”                                         - Diego Arria, former Venezuelan representative to the United Nations

Since the death of four-time president and founder of the Fifth Republic Movement, Lt. Col. Hugo Chavez at the age of 58, the country of Venezuela has slowly sailed into a time of political crisis and civil unrest.

 

Chavez died in early March (5^th, to be precise) after a long battle with cancer. As soon as word of his death hit the world, long time rival and unsuccessful challenger, Capriles Henrique Radonski quickly flew back to Caracas, Venezuela, to announce that he would run again for president in the newly arranged election for Chavez’s replacement.

On April 14, Venezuelans went to the polls which were to decide who will succeed Chavez between Capriles and Chavez’s former minister & serving Vice President, Nicolas Maduro. Although, the battle between Capriles and Maduro was a fierce one, Venezuelans elected Maduro president. 

It was an interesting election, because Maduro had already been named by Chavez as his successor before his passing, and Capriles, who had supported a failed US-backed coup against Chavez some years ago, claimed to be a “Bolivarian” (after Simon Bolivar) and a better executor of Chavez’s legacy than Maduro.

No doubt, the winner of the April 14^th election was Chavez himself. Supporters of Venezuelan democracy will tell you that any day. The fact that his chosen successor was accepted even after his death only means that the people always wanted Chavez, not that they were forced or bribed to put him in power over the years. If Capriles had won, he would have reverted to his usual ideologies and removed anything that represented Chavez.

Only a few days later, the opposition began burning down health clinics obviously erected by Chavez, and invoking series of violent acts. Surely, these acts are most likely aimed at discrediting the present government (if not overthrow it). But, nobody is taking responsibility for the violence.

Now, Capriles is refusing to accept the results of the election, meaning Maduro’s legitimacy is in question. He has demanded a full recount and called for street protests. In turn, Maduro, who was only focused on pressing matters of public administration, has been forced to face the seemingly growing problem.

Diosdado Cabello, president of parliament, has blamed Capriles for the violence and deaths which followed his rejection of the Sunday’s electoral results. Aurora Morales, president of the Miranda parliament has warned Capriles to either resume his role as Governor of Miranda (which he temporarily evacuated to contest in the elections), or forfeit it.

We all know that Maduro is no Hugo Chavez, and he faces a tough opposition which may include the US government (they were at loggerheads with Chavez when he was alive). Can he acquire Chavez’s charisma, rhetorical bombast and ability to gain unexpected alliances to defuse the growing tension in the country?.

Will there be an end to the political crisis brewing in the country?

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