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STAR INFORMATIO
|
|
S/N |
Name |
Amount of rice received (tonnes) |
Comment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
) |
120 |
Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries |
|
2 |
); |
120 |
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army |
|
3 |
Hon. Abdulkadir Mohammed Nasir (Katsina State) |
60 |
Representing Kafur/Malumfashi Constituency |
|
4 |
Dr. Hassan Adamu (Wakilin Adamawa) |
120 |
Former president of the Nigeria Manufacturers Association MAN |
|
5 |
Alhaji Gazali (Kano State) |
120 |
|
|
6 |
Alhaji Sanda Abdullahi (Jos, Plateau State) |
60 |
|
|
7 |
) |
120 |
|
|
8 |
) |
120 |
|
|
9 |
Emir of Daura (Katsina State) |
120 |
|
|
10 |
) |
120 |
|
|
11 |
) |
60 |
|
|
12-19 |
States |
21,600 |
These 8 Northern states received 2,700 tonnes each |
|
19-30 |
, FCT |
14,400 |
These 11 Northern states + FCT received 1,200 tonnes each |
|
31-47 |
, Rivers, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo |
10,200 |
All the 17 Southern states received 600 tonnes each |
|
48 |
(PAN) |
9,000 |
Former Pres Obasanjo is a member |
|
49 |
Abuja |
120 |
|
|
50 |
Artafat Network, Gusau, (Zamfara State) |
120 |
|
|
51 |
Rima General Enterprises, Sokoto |
60 |
|
|
52 |
ENE-Nig. Ltd, Wuse, Abuja |
120 |
|
|
53 |
Abuja |
120 |
|
|
54 |
, |
60 |
|
|
55 |
Abuja |
60 |
|
|
56 |
State |
120 |
|
|
57 |
120 |
|
|
|
58 |
General Public |
680 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SubTotal |
57,920 |
|
|
59-81 |
Others? |
7,835 |
|
|
|
Grand Total |
65,755 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
My People:
Read this:
QUOTE
The document detailing the identities of beneficiaries of the grains released this year, indicated that the North got 55,555 metric tonnes of grains representing 84.5 percent while the South got 10,200 metric tonnes representing 15.5 percent.
While Borno, Gombe Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe States got 2,700 metric tonnes each, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara and Plateau States got 1,200 metric tonnes each. All the seventeen States in the South got 600 metric tonnes each.
Individuals who got included, among others, Etsu Nupe (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Biu (60 metric tonnes), Emir of Lafia (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Daura (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Katsina (120 metric tonnes), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries, Senator Adamu Garba Talba (120 metric tonnes), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator Ibrahim Ida (120 metric tonnes) and Hon. Abdulkadir Mohammed Nasir (60 metric tonnes), Dr. Hassan Adamu (Wakilin Adamawa) (120 metric tonnes).
UNQUOTE
One's heart continues to bleed at this kind of news......the financial rape of our country is so deep and widespread, and constantly aided by our civil servants, who never seem to get dismissed for "aiding and abetting."
Even our churches (Anglican, Methodist) got into this particular act, and one would like an explanation from all of them who actually got what in these rice distributions.
Or will there be another sweeping under the carpet?
NM
Shaking his head
LEADERSHIP
Food Scarcity: How Emirs, Senators, Got Tonnes Of Grains
by Andrew Oota
There were more startling revelations at the ongoing probe of the Senate adhoc Committee on Food Crisis as officials of the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday revealed that emirs and senators took possession of 65,755 tones of grains meant for masses.
The document entitled "2008 Grain Release Beneficiaries" submitted to the committee by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, showed that two serving senators from the North were among the 79 other beneficiaries.
They are Senators Adamu Garba Talba ( Yobe State ) and Ibrahim Ida ( Katsina State ); each of them got 120 metric tonnes of grains.
The list also showed that five traditional rulers from the North, including the Etsu of Nupe, cornered 120 tonnes, while the Emir of Biu in Borno State got 60 tonnes.
The document also showed that the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), of which former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is a member, got 9,000 metric tonnes.
Others include the Emir of Biu 60 metric tonnes, Emir of Lafia 120 metric tonnes, Etsu Nupe 120 metric tonnes, Emir of Daura, Katsina State, 120 metric tonnes and Emir of Katsina, 120 metric tonnes.
Hon. Abdulkadir Mohammed Nasir 60 metric tonnes, Alhaji Gazali, Kano 120 metric tonnes, Alhaji Sanda Abdullahi , Jos, Plateau State, 60 metric tonnes, and Dr. Hassan Adamu, (Wakilin Adamawa), 120 metric tonnes.
Those allocated to the general public for sale stood at 680 metric tonnes.
The following are the order of allocations to states: Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe got 2,700 metric tonnes each.
Other states such as Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Benue Nasarawa, Taraba, FCT, Kogi, Kwara Plateau got 1,200 metric tonnes each.
Other states that were allocated 600 metric tonnes each include Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Rivers, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo.
Other allocations to associations are Minat Commodities, Wuse, Abuja, 120 metric tonnes, Artafat Network Gusau, 60 metric tonnes, Rima Gen. Ent., Sokoto, 60 metric tonnes, ENE-Nig. Ltd, Wuse, 120 metric tonnes and Foundation for Community Dev. Initiatives Wuse, Abuja, 120 metric tonnes.
Others are St. Mary's Anglican Church , Abuja, 60 metric tonnes, Arch. Bishop of Methodist, Abuja 60 metric tonnes, Rice Farmers Coop. Society Katsina State, 120 metric tonnes, Al-Umma Int. Poultry Services Ltd., Kano, 120 metric tonnes.
Director of the Department of Strategic Reserves in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Lawal Mohammed Ila, told the panel that some of the people collected the grains on behalf of their constituents.
Angered by the development, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Idris Umar, said, "Mr. Minister, I want you to honestly tell us that the grains distribution list contains the name of any ordinary Nigerian? I can tell you that from the investigations we have made and from our records, there is no ordinary Nigerian who benefited from that distribution. If we are serious, let us be serious because the list does not show the beneficiaries are the end users. We should not be sitting here in Abuja and applying for grain when the people who actually need it cannot access it."
Earlier, the committee had disclosed that its preliminary investigations showed that some N10.5 billion was released to the ministry by the Federal Government in 2005 as special grant and directed the minister to immediately provide explanations to the panel on the matter, especially on the source of the funds.
It also observed that the money exceeded the total budgetary allocation of N1.340 billion released for grain reserves between 1999 and 2007.
The panel also frowned at the non-compliance with the Public Procurement Act and other due processes in the procurement of grains.
The panel's anger followed the submission of the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Ademola Rasak Sariki, to the effect that instead of informing members of the public about the need by the ministry for persons to apply to be selected for the procurement of the grains, it had been the practice that the ministry would simply ask any member of the public to supply the grains.
Sariki also said that the practice equally applied to the distribution of the grains, pointing out that if newspaper advertisements were carried out to call on people to call on people to apply for selection for the distribution exercise, prices of grains in the market would be inflated by marketers.
The panel also asked the minister to submit written explanations on why there were no procurement of grains between 1999 and 2007.
It was also disclosed to the committee that the country required not less than 2.5 million metric tonnes to meet its grain reserves requirement as against the present 300,000 metric tonnes it had at the moment.
In his explanation, the minister said his ministry got presidential approval to procure grains without legislative approval.
THIS DAY
From Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 07.18.2008
Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing food crisis in the country yesterday revealed how state governments, some northern emirs, federal legislators and other prominent Nigerians shared the 65.755 metric tonnes of grains in the strategic reserve for the year 2008.
The dramatic revelation came via a document submitted to the Senator Idris Umar-led Committee by the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, entitled: "2008 Grain Release Beneficiaries".
The revelation came on a day the Minister of State in the Ministry, Mr. Demola Seriki testified before the Commit-tee. He represented the Minister, Dr. Sayyadi Abba-Ruma.
Seriki spoke on how the mop-up of the grains was done and how the grains were distributed to the beneficiaries.
On the purchase of the grains, he said that "instead of informing members of the public about the need by the ministry for persons to apply to be selected for the procurement of the grains, it has been the practice that the ministry would simply ask any member of the public to supply the grains."
He explained that the practice equally applied to the distribution of the grains to beneficiaries, stressing that "if newspaper advertisements were carried out to call on people to apply for selection for the distribution exercise, prices of grains in the market would be inflated by marketers".
Seriki disclosed that the country would require a minimum of 2.5 million metric tonnes to meet its strategic grains reserve requirement. The current capacity is 300,000 metric tonnes.
The Committee directed the minister to submit written explanations on why there was no procurement of grains between 1999 and 2007.
The document detailing the identities of beneficiaries of the grains released this year, indicated that the North got 55,555 metric tonnes of grains representing 84.5 percent while the South got 10,200 metric tonnes representing 15.5 percent.
While Borno, Gombe Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe States got 2,700 metric tonnes each, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara and Plateau States got 1,200 metric tonnes each. All the seventeen States in the South got 600 metric tonnes each.
Individuals who got included, among others, Etsu Nupe (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Biu (60 metric tonnes), Emir of Lafia (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Daura (120 metric tonnes), Emir of Katsina (120 metric tonnes), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries, Senator Adamu Garba Talba (120 metric tonnes), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator Ibrahim Ida (120 metric tonnes) and Hon. Abdulkadir Mohammed Nasir (60 metric tonnes), Dr. Hassan Adamu (Wakilin Adamawa) (120 metric tonnes).
The Ad hoc Committee Chairman, Senator Umar, had asked the Director of Food Reserves and Storage in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Lawal Mohammed Ila who sat with the minister, to identify any common man who benefitted from the grains, but he said he could not identify any.
"Mr. Minister, I want you to honestly tell us that the grains distribution list contains the name of any ordinary Nigerian? I can tell you that from the investigations we have made and from our records, there is no ordinary Nigerian who benefited from that distribution," he said.
He added: "If we are serious, let us be serious because the list does not show the beneficiaries are the end users. We should not be sitting here in Abuja and applying for grains when the people who actually need it cannot assess it."
CHAMPION
2 Senators, 5 Monarchs named in N10.5bn grains scandal
COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Abuja
Two senators, five prominent traditional rulers in the north and others were yesterday named in an alleged multi billion naira grain contract scandal.
The startling disclosure came as Senate probe panel on food crisis queried the minister of state for agriculture Mr Demola Seriki, over the spending of N10. 5 billion approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) to boost local rice production
The panel observed yesterday that the special fund was not captured in any of budgetary provisions for the ministry
But the minister in a presentation to the panel yesterday disclosed how two serving senators and prominent monarchs in the north hijacked the distribution of grains for their restive states this year.
The said persons were alleged to have obtained the contract for the distribution of grains to the states without due process.
The contract for the grains was not advertised nor was due process certificate issued.
Permanent secretary ministry of agriculture, Prof Afolabi in his testimony, admitted that the ministry only used its discretionary power to select those to be used in the distribution of the grains, adding that advertising for the job would lead to artificial increase in the price of the said grains.
He however said that the ministry has introduced a new policy called Guarantee Quality Price (GMP) to boost both the farmers and the consumers from the hands of middlemen.
The document for the distribution of the vital grains show that senators Adamu Talba and Ibrahim Idah took delivery of 120 metric tones of grains each from the ministry this year.
Other beneficiaries are the Emirs of Biu who got 60 metric tones, his Lafia, Nupe and Daura counterparts, got 120 metric tone each.
Former president of the Nigeria Manufacturers Association MAN Hassan Adamu got 120 metric tones while the Anglican church Abuja and the Arch. Bishop of Methodist Abuja got 60 tone respectively.
But the chairman of the committee, Idris Umar, and other members of the panel observed yesterday that using the said persons in the distribution of the grains without due process was illegal.
The panel alleged that such arrangements could be responsible for the shortage of the grains, adding that reports across the nation show that most of the grains never get to the people.
The panel specifically queried on the alleged diversion of grains by a cartel to the detriment of genuine end users.
The N10.5 billion is part of the revenue realized from levies collected from imported rice from 1999 to 2008.
Members of the Senate ad hoc committee on food crisis in the country at yesterday's sitting maintained that the ministry erred in spending the money without appropriation by the national assembly and rejected explanations from Seriki that the spending is based on Presidential approval.
Seriki told the Senator Idris Umar led committee that the money is accumulated revenue from levies on imported rice, which he said the ministry received approval from the President to directly spend on strategic procurement, storage and distribution of grains to ensure even availability across the country.
The minister however could not give detailed explanation to the reasons behind the poor distribution system, which results in the diversion of products from the reach of genuine end users.
However, rejecting the explanations on the fund, Senator Umar insisted that it amounted to extra judicial spending which he said cannot be tolerated under the present administration.
According to him, "there is no law that authorize you to spend money without approval from the National Assembly. We see this as extra judicial spending which should have ended with the Obasanjo administration. This should have stopped under President Umaru Yar'Adua whose administration preaches rule of law. You still continue you cannot defend this spending".
On the violation of due process in the strategic grain purchase for storage and distribution, Umar said the ministry must correct all anomalies in its bidding process to ensure compliance with the provisions of the public procurement act.
He said the current practice in the ministry, which does not allow for open bidding is in violation of the procurement law.
However explaining, Professor Oledabo Afolabi, permanent secretary in the ministry said the ministry adopted the secret procurement system to guide against price hike by farmers.
He urged that the procurement act be reviewed to enable the ministry maintain silent buying which he said helps in keeping prices of grains low during glut period to push down prices during scarcity.
VANGUARD
Prominent Nigerians hijack FG's distribution from strategic grain reserveWritten by .............................
Friday, 18 July 2008
....FG spends N10 billion rice levy without appropriation
....Senate committee frowns at distribution pattern
PROMINENT Nigerians including senators and emirs were yesterday named as beneficiaries in the Federal Government's distribution from the strategic grain reserve. The revelation of the distribution pattern of the 2008 grain releases by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture at the Senate public hearing on the food crisis also showed that N10.5 billion had been collected as levy from rice imports in 2008.
The Committee which frowned at the utilization of the rice levy without appropriation has also summoned the three companies with franchise to import fertilizer for the 2008 farming year to appear before it next Monday. The three companies are to appear to defend the allegation that they together lack the capacity to import 650,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer as required in their contract.
A document obtained by Vanguard at yesterday's hearing showed that two senators were among 70 beneficiaries that also included five Emirs each of whom got 120 metric tones.
The 20 states of the North received a total of 36,000 metric tones with Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsian, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe States as the leading beneficiaries with 2,700 metric tones each.
The 17 States in the South received a total of 10,200 metric tones with each of them getting 600 metric tones.
Explaining the rationale behind the distribution pattern, the Director of the Strategic Reserves in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Lawal Mohammed Ila, said that a number of the beneficiaries were allocated based on their applications saying that some of the royal fathers applied on behalf of their subjects.
The Chairman of the investigative committee, Senator Idris Umar, however, condemned the distribution pattern saying:
"Mr. Minister, I want you to honestly tell us that the grains distribution list contains the name of any ordinary Nigerian? I can tell you that from the investigations we have made and from our records, there is no ordinary Nigerian who benefited from that distribution.
If we are serious, let us be serious because the list does not show the beneficiaries are the end users. We should not be sitting here in Abuja and applying for grains when the people who actually need it cannot assess it"
The Minister of State (Agriculture), Mr. Demola Seriki in his submission disclosed that a total of N10.5 billion has been collected so far in the year as levies from the importation of rice.
His submission that the money was in turn used to procure grains based on a presidential approval received flaks from the Senate Committee which alleged that the action was unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the Committee has summoned the following companies TAC Continental Limited Lagos, Superphosphate Fertiliser Company Kaduna and Golden Fertiliser Company Lagos which won the contract to import fertilizers to appear before it on Monday.
The companies are to explain allegations that they lack the capacity to handle the imports.
VANGUARD
Price of rice should make Nigeria produce for export — MINISTER E-mail
Written by Daniel Gumm
Friday, 18 July 2008
MINISTER of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Sayyadi Ruma has said in Abuja that high price of rice was an opportunity for Nigeria to become a major player in rice production and export to the African continent, pointing out that Nigeria could produce enough rice, but the problem "is that of the production of quality rice."
The minister made the assertion at a Launch and Public Presentation of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Rice Network in Abuja.
The minister, who spoke through the Executive Director, National Food Reserve Agency, Dr. Salisu Ingawa, however, lamented that "if the amount expended on the importation were channelled into production capacity of rice production, Nigeria as a country would have been able to feed not only West Africa, but the entire African continent."
The NESG Rice Network is aimed at creating awareness on the purpose and future work of the network to key target groups in the private and public sectors and bringing together all stakeholders in the rice value chain geared towards tackling through dialogue and manual activities, the myriad of problems and constraints hampering their interests in order to make rice sector activities more competitive, profitable and sustainable to all members and enhance food security for Nigerians in general.
Dr. Ruma said, the Federal Government was prepared to support the implementation of the approved document, advising members of the network to sensitise and introduce other programmes that would enhance the production of quality rice in the country.
He said the Federal Government spent a total of $3 billion (N340 billion) on the importation of rice and wheat annually. The Executive Director, National Food Reserve Agency, Dr. Salisu Ingawa, later launched the NESG Rice Network document.
The event brought together Alhajji Abubakar Wodi (Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN), Chairman, NESG Agriculture and Food Security Policy Commission, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, Mr. Don Brown, Programme Manager, PrOpCom and Mr. Akin Niyi Jones, member of the Agriculture Committee in the House of Representatives, who represented the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture.
Others were the commissioners of agriculture and natural resources of both Jigawa and Kebbi states, Alhaji Nasidi Ali and Alhaji Ibrahim A. Gwandu, amongst other federal and state dignitaries.
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