CONTRARY to speculations found in the media and on the world wide web, the President Goodluck Jonathan government has no plan to putting a report it commissioned Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to lead.
A senior special assistant to President Jonathan on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, made the revelation on Thursday, saying has every plan to take a “good look” at the recommendations, adding that “government would verify the data as recommended does not mean the report would be thrown way.”
According to Okupe, at no time did he or any official of government suggest the report should be dumped because even though the data were yet to be verified, there are several issues raised by the committee that would never be swept under the carpet by the Jonathan’s administration, all found wanting punished and all loopholes for corruption blocked.
“ Due to time frame of the assignment, some of the data used could not be independently verified and the task force recommends that the government should conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliation”
Dr. Okupe corrected what he saw as a misrepresentation of his recent remarks concerning the issue of the report submitted to the president by committee
“The further implication of paragraph four quoted above, which is an obvious disclaimer issued by the committee on the entire report makes it impossible under our laws to indict or punish anybody except and until the Federal Government fully verifies and reconciles the facts as recommended by the committee in its submission to the government.”
Okupe stated that the because the report was hurriedly put together and submitted, the government would have to waste a lot of time and money putting together machinery to verify the document before a white paper would be issued.
“I I must assure Nigeria that this administration is serious about fighting corruption, through prosecution and institutional reforms, and whoever or organization is found wanting by the report after proper verification, would be made to face the due process of law.”
The presidential aide’s comments come just as the presidency on Thursday also stated its commitment to doing all within his powers to ensure greater accountability, probity and transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The was said just as government established three committees to prepare draft White Papers on the reports of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, the National Refineries Special Task Force and the Governance and Controls Special Task Force.
The Committees are to study the reports, review the issues raised and prepare draft White Papers for the consideration of the Federal Executive Council within two weeks.
The White Paper Committee on the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force Report will be chaired by the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, with the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, Minister of State, FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II: Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed as members.
The White Paper Committee on the report of the Governance and Controls Special Task Force will be chaired by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple.
Other members of the committee are Minister of State, Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, and Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Bukar Tijani.
The White Paper Committee on the report of the National Refineries Special Task Force has Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Mohammed Sada as Chairman, and Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Pate and Minister of State for Education, Mr. Ezenwo Nyeson Wike as members.
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will provide secretariat for the Committees.