Senate calls for resignation, prosecution of SGF
The Senate, on Wednesday, called for the resignation and prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, following alleged complicity in the diversion of funds earmarked for North-East rehabilitation.
This followed presentation of the interim report of the Adhoc Committee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East, by the chairman of the committee, Sen. Shehu Sani.
The Senate called for Babachir’s resignation following alleged contravention of the provisions of Public Procurement Act and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining award of contracts.
Presenting the report, Sen. Sani said that some of the contracts were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials’ cronies and family members.
He added that the committee found out that Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company, with Lawal as Director, for instance, was awarded consultancy contract.
The company’s major role, according to him, is the removal of invasive plant species in Yobe state on March 8.
“Although Engr. Babachir resigned the directorship of the said company in September, 2016, it is on record that he is signatory to the accounts of the company,’’ he said.
Sani further said besides lawal’s complicity, The Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE), which carried out the entire procurement activities, contravened laid down rules.
According to him, those awarded contract took undue advantage of the provision of emergency situation contract award in the procurement act to inflate figures.
He also said most of the contracts had no direct bearing or impact on the IDPs who were living in deplorable conditions.
Sani lamented that in spite of the health challenges in the camps, there was absence of the Federal Ministry of Health, except for the Nigerian Air Force medical team who had only few equipment at their disposal.
He added that the committee equally noticed the presence of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), working with other agencies.
“Despite the claim by some federal government agencies, what is on ground as seen by the committee does not justify or reflect the claims.
“For example, over 70 per cent of displaced children both in camps and with host communities were out of school due to lack of infrastructure
“Generally there is acute shortage of food amongst the IDPs, as observed in one of the IDPs visited,’’ he said.
Supporting the call for Lawal’s resignation, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, said the report showed that Lawal became SGF before his resignation as director of the company.
According to him, the action was not befitting of a man of his caliber.
“When this committee started looking at the books, Babachir Lawal ran to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and quickly withdrew his directorship of the company after the execution of the contract.
However, the Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, called the attention of the Senate to the fact that since the report was an interim one, the decision to call for the SGF’s resignation was premature.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki said the message coming from the Senate to all those in charge of these funds is that Nigeria cannot continue with business as usual.
“For those who have contravened the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, I believe that this government that stands on the issues of fighting corruption is seen to do the right thing,’’ he said.
He urged the committee to complete the report in good time, while assuring that resolutions and recommendations would be taken seriously.
