FG probes looters of JAMB, NIMASA, others

By Lawrence Olaoye

Following sudden leap in revenues accruing to the federation accounts from the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other revenue generating agencies in the country, the federal government has ordered investigations into the activities of the past management of the agencies.
Briefing newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, Minister of Finanace, Kemi Adeosun, said the probe would scrutinize the agencies to know how huge resource

s were leaking in the past.
On what informed the government curiosity in the revenue profile of JAMB, Adeosun said “The highest amount that JAMB has ever remitted to the consolidated revenue fund before this management was N3 million. This year so far they have done N5 billion and the minister of education reported that they have additional N3 billion that they are ready to remit which will take this year’s figure alone to N8 billion.
“Now they have not increased their charges nor their fees. So the question that Council members were asking was that where were all these monies before? So the directive was given that we must call those who were the heads of those agencies and similar ones to account and that is what we intend to do.
It’s a similar stories with other agencies and these are the leakages which we are now blocking. These are the monies in the consolidated fund that is now being applied in the projects that really needs to get the economy moving. These are the monies that are missing that has led us to the position we are in. It is the grandest looting that this administration action has come in to address.”
Investigations als

o revealed that the NIMASA in 2015 remitted N4.95 billion but remitted N24 billion a year after a change of leadership baton.
The minister also told newsmen that the Council approved for Nigeria to rejoin the African Trade Insurance Agency. This is an agency that is out to provide risk guarantee for private investors coming into Nigeria as well as exporters from Nigeria.
She equally rated that nation’s economy as having a positivity outlook after having exited recess hinting that the government was adjusting well.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Ud Udoma, said that the executive was working arduously to ensure the presentation of Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly by October in order to reset the nation’s fiscal year to January to December.
He promised that the executive will effectively engage the legislature to ensure early passage of 2018 budget into law.
The minister also said the government was on the right path by diversifying the nation’s economy insisting that the nation was already moving in the right direction.