In what appears like a rebuttal to the National Assembly submission, Tuesday, that the Calabar-Lagos railway project was not captured in the 2016 budget, the federal government has insisted that the project was duly submitted and accepted by the National Assembly for approval.
It will be recalled that there had been a bout of brickbats between the Executive and and the Legislature over former’s claims that the National Assembly in the course of parliamentary debates and scrutiny of the Appropriation Bill expunged the project. But in a statement by the Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. James Akpandem on Tuesday, the federal government insisted that the relevant committees of the parliament received the document.
The statement read in full:
“In view of the recent controversies surrounding the 2016 budget, it has become necessary to state the following so as to set the facts straight: The details of the 2016 budget were received by the President on Thursday, April 7, 2016. “Immediately this was received the President, desirous of signing the document into law as soon as possible, directed that copies should be made available to Heads of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government. Ministers were asked to go through the details and give their reactions as it affects their respective Ministries so as to guide the President and enable him sign the Appropriation Bill into law.
“That process is still on-going and no statement has been issued by the Executive on the matter, apart from the one by the Honourable Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohamnmed, to confirm that details of the budget are being examined. No final decision has been taken by the President and no other statement whatsoever has been issued on the matter.
“With reference to the specific issue of the Calabar – Lagos rail project, we will like to state that the two railway projects, Lagos – Kano and the Calabar – Lagos, are very important projects of the present administration; and it was always the intention of the Executive to have both projects reflected in the budget submitted to the National Assembly. “However, it will be recalled that the Budget Office made a number of errors in the initial proposals of a number of ministries.
These errors were all corrected by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the corrected versions were submitted to the relevant committees of the National Assembly. This included that of the Ministry of Transportation.
“The amended Ministry of Transportation budget was accepted by the relevant committees and that was the version defended by the Minister of Transportation and his team. “It must be emphasized that the two rail projects are part of those for which the President is currently negotiating funding with the Chinese government.
“The N60b provided in the budget for the Lagos – Kano and Calabar – Lagos rail lines, respectively, is counterpart funding, to support the Chinese financing for the projects. “These projects are part of the Strategic Implementation Plan of the government which was disclosed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning at the National Economic Council Retreat in March 2016, in the presence of state governors.
They were also mentioned by the Vice President last week in Lagos at The Nation Newspaper’s First National Economic Forum. “It is hoped that with this clarification, the raging controversy over the Calabar – Lagos rail project will be put to rest.”Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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ReplyDeleteWHO IS ABDULMUMIN JIBRIN?
Abdulmumin Jibrin is the member of the House of Reps, representing Bebeji/Kiru Federal Constituency in Kano state. He is also the Chairman of Budget Appropriation Committee at the House of Reps. This is where pleasant story about this arrogant imposter ends.
On 18/10/2011, a Federal High Court, presided by Justice Marcel Awokulehin, sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, ordered the former governor of the state, Aliyu Akwe Doma and eight other co-conspirators accused by the EFCC, to be remanded in custody.
The former governor and his eight co-conspirators were charged for laundering stolen Nasarawa state funds totaling over N15 billion. The governor was arraigned along with Senator John Dangoyi, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Timothy Anthony Anjide, Dauda Egwa, Suleiman Ibrahim, Broworks Ltd and Green Forest Investment Limited.
Money laundering is a very serious offence, contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004. It is punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.
The EFCC's case against Abdulmumin Jibrin and the rest of the gang is still pending in court. Were it not for the fact that this political prostitute managed to swindle his way into the APC to ride on the Buhari's fame bandwagon and get elected as a Member of Parliament, he lacks the integrity to be elected even as a local councilor of his ward, let alone as a national lawmaker.
Under the influence of their master and Mafia don Bukola Saraki, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Mohammed Danjuma Goje and the other traitors at the NASS removed appropriation for the important Calabar to Lagos rail link from the 2016 budget. Meanwhile they fraudulently inserted into the budget several new projects worth billions of Naira that were never suggested by the Presidency.
To cover for their exposed scam in the 2016 budget, Abdulmumin Jibrin went on an offensive on Twitter and TV networks propagating even more falsehood to Nigerians. Worse still, this imposter had the audacity to insult his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, live on national television. Despite this campaign of deception and vilification against his Excellency, Nigerians are not buying their stories. In fact, more people are agitating for their immediate resignation from the NASS.
Furthermore, in yet another hopeless attempt to to cover up for their padding of the budget, Abdulmumin Jibrin sent an SMS message to his fellow co-conspirators at the NASS, clamoring for support to mitigate the mass revolt against them that is brewing on social media platforms. The “additional inputs” he refereed to in his message is the actual fraud they inserted into the budget.
Below is Abdulmumin Jibrin's infamous SMS message that went viral on the Internet:
“To all Hon Chairman & Dep. Chairmen of Standing Committees:
As you are aware, we have transmitted details of budget 2016. After consultation with the Leadership of both Chambers, the reports of all standing Committees were sustained in the details.
Though all items items submitted by Committees were retained, you will see additional inputs that were necessary to be accommodated via little cuts. You are therefore enjoined to be prepared to justify reports both in media and elsewhere, in case the executive disagrees. We are already justifying your reports but you must join in doing so, especially in the media so that Nigerians will understand the justification for the adjustments you made, particularly on new projects. You can always count on our support. Thank you very much and best wishes as always. I can be reached on 08036130007. Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin. “
Now that their evil machinations against suffering Nigerians have been exposed for the whole world to see, we call upon Bukola Saraki, Mohammed Danjuma Goje, and Abdulmumin Jibrin to take the path of honour and resign with immediate effect. The masses are saying enough is enough! This trio risk global humiliation when the masses storm the NASS on the 19th April.
May God save Nigeria and Nigerians. Amen.
U all are the same-CROOKs!
DeleteUr MUMU god bless It pockets.
This is not the first time I'll be replying your dumb comments. EL MATOSKY you lack adequate human reasoning. If the write up discredited the Buhari government, you would have been the first to open your Monkey mouth with worthless comments.
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