• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
The Union Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Security
    • Judiciary
    • Special Reports
  • Politics
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Communication
    • Energy
    • Maritime
    • Oil & Gas
    • Technology
    • Tourism
  • Health
  • Education
  • Arts & Life
    • Art
    • Books
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Athletics
    • Tennis
    • Racing
    • Golf
  • Press Freedom
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Interviews
    • Columns
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Security
    • Judiciary
    • Special Reports
  • Politics
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Communication
    • Energy
    • Maritime
    • Oil & Gas
    • Technology
    • Tourism
  • Health
  • Education
  • Arts & Life
    • Art
    • Books
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Athletics
    • Tennis
    • Racing
    • Golf
  • Press Freedom
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Interviews
    • Columns
The Union Nigeria

Buhari’s Aide, Orelope-Adefulire Queried Over N26.9bn SDGs Contracts, Others

While, reviewing the 2020 budget of the SDGs, the President’s aide disclosed that a total of 459 contracts amounting to N26.851bn were awarded in 2020 with N3.009bn so far paid to contractors and the percentage of performance put at 11.2 percent.

by The Union Nigeria
November 11, 2020
in National
Buhari: Why I Abandoned My First Job

President Muhammadu Buhari

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare To WhatsAppSend To Mail

Demand for explanations on how the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, expended public funds on covid-19 and N26.9billion worth of contracts caused arguments among members of the House of Representatives.

The occasion was the budget defence hearing by the House committee on SDGs led by Mr. Rotimi Agunsonye (APC, Lagos). Mrs. Orelope-Adefulire is a former deputy governor of Lagos State.

There was back and forth between the Chairman and members of the Committee as all efforts to get the SSA to respond to certain tough questions on details of expenditure for projects were stampeded.

This is not the first time the chairman of the committee would appear to be shielding the SDGs aide from thorough scrutiny as he had in June this year, issued a statement dismissing reports of alleged financial impropriety.

The presidential aide, on the other hand, believes her office is doing well in delivering on its mandate.

While, reviewing the 2020 budget of the SDGs, the President’s aide disclosed that a total of 459 contracts amounting to N26.851bn were awarded in 2020 with N3.009bn so far paid to contractors and the percentage of performance put at 11.2 percent.

The lawmakers however expressed reservations that individual contract sums were not attached to the SDGs Contracts executed as claimed by the SSA.

Orelope-Adefulire could not disclose how much was spent on the supply of 502,000 face mask, 4,033 specialised hospital beds, 1502 desktops and construction of 1578 classroom blocks fitted with furniture.

Other contracts for which the SSA could not disclose the contract sums are: supply of 1,196 motorcycles, 2,407 grinding machines, 2,500 sewing machines, 1, 134 50kg fertilisers, 1,315 bags of rice and 1,961 bags of 100kg rice.

Earlier, the SSA told the Committee that all projects under her agency as appropriated for in the 2019 budget were completed and fully paid for.

“We do not have any ongoing project for 2019. We do not have any abandoned or uncompleted project. No contractor is currently being owed”, she stated.

While giving an update on the 2020 budget performance, she noted that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown hindered progress and performance such that most of the projects were still ongoing.

“The 2020 budget performance can be said to hanging due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Nigeria like most countries were affected so it affected our performance. In fact, the lockdown affected us, although we have done all our procurement process, so some projects have already been executed while some are still ongoing. We have completed all our procurement but the payment is ongoing. We have paid N7.5 billion. The problem this time around is procurement is very slow”, she said.

Consequently, members took turns to pick holes in both the document and oral presentation made by the SSA.

According to Mr. Ozurigbo Ugonna representing Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/ Nwangele federal constituency of Imo State, “we would like to know why there is no allocation for Special intervention Projects. Why are we seeing zero, zero everywhere. Does this mean the SIPs are not important? The 2020 special intervention funds nothing has been released or done with just one month to the end of the year. Meanwhile, every other item has gotten funds except that (SIPs) why?”

But just as the SSA was about responding, the chairman of the Committee intervened and requested that she should be given opportunity to make her 2021 budget presentation. He also then said it was not the fault of Mrs. Orelope- Adefulire that there were no releases for projects.

 Adejoke-Orelope-Adefulire
Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire

“On the issue of special intervention please colleagues let us calm down. It is not her faut that SIP has not gotten releases, if she does get releases there is nothing she can do. Again honourable colleagues, I will crave your indulgence to allow her to finish presenting the 2021 budget”, Agunsoye defended.

Another member, Mr. Bede Eke (PDP, Imo) asked: “We want to know if you got any releases concerning Covid-19 and if you do how was it shared, we want to know the method of distribution?Mr. Gogo Bright Tamuno, representing Okrika/Ogu-Bolo federal constituency of Rivers State, however raised concern over the non-inclusion of Rivers State in all the programs and projects as captured in the SDGs 2020 budget.

The SSA revealed that: “We work base on releases and if nothing was released there is nothing we can do. The fault is not that of SDG but that of the Minister of Finance. We have just few members that domiciled their zonal interventions with us and we have all implemented them. I want to plead that when we are done with this meeting we can sit down to crosscheck.”

Disagreement continued amongst members as some insisted they need more detailed explanation on the 2020 budget performance of the SDGs office before they can progress to 2021 proposals.

On the question on exclusion of Rivers state from the distribution of covid-19 palliatives, the SSA said: “We don’t have special funding and we didn’t get any. What we did as regards Covid-19 was done equally with our budget, there was no additional funding. Because we are an interventionist agency. We provided 100 beds and facemask for every state except Rivers state because it does not cooperate with us. I don’t really know what the problem is if we take anything to them they don’t accept. But I’m making out time to meet with the governor.”

close

Subscribe To Receive Newsletters

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

ShareTweetSendSend
Previous Post

Why I’am Leaving PDP For APC, Says Ebonyi Governor, Umahi

Next Post

Kaduna Ex-Gov, Balarabe Musa, Dies At 84

MORE STORIES

Gov Poll: INEC Fixes Dates To Issue Certificates Of Return

Last Saturday Polls Raised Issues That Require Immediate Solutions – INEC

March 4, 2023
Reps Leader, Alhassan Doguwa

Reps Leader, Alhassan Doguwa Arrested At Kano Airport

March 1, 2023
Naira Scarcity: I’m Suffering, My Family Can’t Cook – Orji Kalu

Naira Scarcity: I’m Suffering, My Family Can’t Cook – Orji Kalu

February 21, 2023
Naira Crisis: Adamu Aligns With Governors, Asks Buhari To Respect Supreme Court Order

Naira Crisis: Adamu Aligns With Governors, Asks Buhari To Respect Supreme Court Order

February 20, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

TRENDING STORIES

  • BREAKING: INEC Declares Tinubu President-Elect

    2023: Is Yekini Amoda Ogunlere The Real Name Of Bola Ahmed Tinubu?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SPECIAL REPORT: 49 Kidnapping Hotspots On South-West Roads Identified

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SPECIAL REPORT: Despite Lack Of Funds Nigeria Gifts ₦806 Million To Guinea Bissau (See Implications)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gov Poll: INEC Fixes Dates To Issue Certificates Of Return

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • TRENDING:  Why Redeemed Members In Diaspora Are Boycotting RCCG

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Meet Man With Over 2600 Court Cases, See What He Did To Guinness For Publishing His Record

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Petrol Price To Hit N750 Per Litre Soon, Stakeholders Warn

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • PDP CRISIS: The Fight Has Just Started, Wike Tells Ayu

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • WEEKEND GIST: Meet F.C Smith World’s Longest Serving Prisoner Jailed At 24 Years

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • JUST IN: INEC Shifts Governorship, State Assembly Elections To March 18

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT

RECENT STORIES

Consolidate on Your Previous Records, Oyo NUT Urges Gov Makinde

Consolidate on Your Previous Records, Oyo NUT Urges Gov Makinde

March 28, 2023
Petrol Price To Hit N750 Per Litre Soon, Stakeholders Warn

Petrol Price To Hit N750 Per Litre Soon, Stakeholders Warn

March 28, 2023
PDP CRISIS: The Fight Has Just Started, Wike Tells Ayu

PDP CRISIS: The Fight Has Just Started, Wike Tells Ayu

March 28, 2023
Emefiele Begs NLC To Shelve Protest Over Naira Scarcity

Emefiele Begs NLC To Shelve Protest Over Naira Scarcity

March 28, 2023
5 Children, 20 Others Die; 10 Injured In Bauchi Auto Crash

5 Children, 20 Others Die; 10 Injured In Bauchi Auto Crash

March 26, 2023

THE UNION NIGERIA

TheUnionNigeria.com is an independent, nonprofit news website that seeks to promote transparency and accountability through robust and objective reporting. We aim to critically engage you with news reports, Opinions, Editorials, Politics, Business Sports, Entertainment news, Lifestyle, Education, Videos, Photos, Documents and investigative reports.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

GET NEW POST ALERT

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

NEWS SOURCES

  • Africa.com
  • Businessday
  • Channels Television
  • Daily Independent
  • Daily Times
  • Daily Trust
  • Leadership Newspaper
  • National Daily
  • NewsDiary Online
  • Nigerian Tribune
  • Economic Confidential
  • Peoples Gazette
  • PM News
  • Pointblanknews
  • Premium Times
  • Punch
  • The Guardian
  • The Nation
  • The Sun
  • Thisday
  • TV360 Nigeria
  • Vanguard

©The Union Nigeria | Published By Flying Dutchman Limited.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Judiciary
    • Security
    • Crime
    • Special Reports
  • Politics
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Communication
    • Energy
    • Maritime
    • Oil & Gas
    • Technology
    • Tourism
  • Health
  • Education
  • Arts & Life
    • Art
    • Books
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Athletics
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Racing
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Interviews
  • Press Freedom
  • Columns
  • TUN TV
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US

©The Union Nigeria | Published By Flying Dutchman Limited.