Yar’Adua Moves Against Health Minister
From Stanley Nkwazema in Abuja and Kingsley Nwezeh in Lagos
Monday, March 3, 2008
• N’Assembly meets on returned budget

The Health Minister, Prof. Adenike Grange, who was arrested last Thursday on the orders of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua over the handling of unspent funds in the 2007 budget and award of contracts, has been released.


Grange was released at the weekend by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after she was interrogated over the allegation.

THISDAY learnt that the health minister claimed she was misadvised by her directors.

Operatives of EFCC are now moving against the directors following the minister’s claim but Grange may be invited again for further interrogation as more details are unveiled.

President Yar’Adua is said to have ordered that no stone should be left unturned over the matter and anyone found culpable should be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Grange is alleged to have awarded contracts without following due process, in addition to flouting the presidential order that unspent votes for 2007 should be returned to the treasury.

“It was discovered that many ministries flouted the order,” a government official told THISDAY last night.

“The main problem is that without the cooperation of key officials in the affected ministries, investigation will be stalled. I can confirm, for instance, that the minister who was quizzed has already been implicated by top officials of the ministry. In fact, over N40 million has been recovered already from the last-minute contract bazaar and sharing of money.”

Investigators are banking on the possibility that if the indicted minister is made a scapegoat, more ministers may be exposed soon.

And following allegations that some ministers colluded with some members of the National Assembly to inflate allocations for their ministries’ in this year’s budget, THISDAY has learnt that EFCC has beamed its searchlight on more ministers.

At a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last year, President Yar’Adua had directed that all unspent funds in the last days of that year be returned to the public treasury.

The President, who may soon embark on a major cabinet shake-up before his first anniversary in office in May, had withheld his assent to the harmonised 2008 Appropriation Bill partly because of the inflation of budgetary figures which not only threatens macro-economic stability but is believed to be capable of hampering the long-term economic targets of the present administration.

A National Assembly source said the President was very worried about the spending spree that was built into the budget.

“He was obviously angry over the inflation of figures which he strongly believed was the handiwork of some ministers in collaboration with some lawmakers,” the source said. “He did not hide the fact that if any case could be established that something untoward happened, the ministers would face the music.”

In 2004, the then minster of education, Prof. Fabian Osuji, lost his position following allegations that National Assembly members were bribed to inflate Education Ministry’s budget in what was christened bribe-for-budget scandal.

The case is still in court but the Senate President then, Chief Adolphus Wabara, resigned over the allegation.

Meanwhile, worried over the delay caused by the inability of President Yar’Adua to assent to the N2.8 trillion 2008 Appropr-iation Bill, the committee set up by both chambers of the National Assembly is scheduled to meet today to take a final look at the document.

The committee set up last week by the Senate and House of Representatives to go through the areas the President considered inappropriate started meeting since last week and is expected to submit a joint report to the leadership of the two chambers soon.

The report will then be presented for ratification in plenary.

The Senate committee is led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, while the House committee is led by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Bayero Usman Nafada.

THISDAY learnt that the National Assembly members are worried that the President returned the bill whereas they expected him to have assented to it while other disagreements are resolved later.

The Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, when contacted yesterday in Abuja told THISDAY that there was no cause for alarm over the 2008 Appropriation Bill returned by President Yar’Adua.

He said though the committee had started work on the areas of disagreements, the leadership of the House was yet to be briefed on the outcome.

“It is too early now to take decisions. We have to allow the joint committee to work and report back before the House will take a position. It is a healthy development. I think that is the beauty of democracy.

We have to disagree to agree. But I must tell you that we represent the people and know how they feel and the pressing areas that require urgent intervention. We will sort it out soonest,” he said.

President Yar’Adua had returned the bill saying he was not comfortable with some aspects introduced by the lawmakers.

After almost three months of working on the bill, the Senate and House had initially passed different figures.

But they later harmonised their differences on the budget and jointly settled for N2.898, 801,095,668 as the harmonised figure of the 2008 Appropriation Bill.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/mar/3/299.html

Am shocked
with all the pedigree and hype about her being this and that

I think its high time, Dora Akunyili be called in to collect her rightful position which was denied her because she stepped on some political big toes in

her quest to sanitize the nation's food and drug industry

Dora is not so "clean".

Lets not hang her yet, she is new, she may really have been misinformed.

Dora is not so clean someone said but the poster never mention who is so clean and the rationale behind the statement.

for the corruption on the side of women, i think it starts from the claim that whatever a man can do, a woman can do it even better so the women i think are out to prove they can do well even in the field of corruption.

my fears and question goes to the pefix in her name or the honour she has as a professor. what is happening in the world of nigerian professors? if this is what professorship is all about, i hereby recomend Adedibu for the post, position, honour and award of a professor.

on the suggestion of an ibo woman president, that is if nigeria believes in giving honour to whom it is due for these few Ibo women have proved how worthy they can be. they have proved to the world that some good things can still come out of babylon. unfortunately, the obj's nigeria will preffer to recommend these ibo women to the un and american government leaving behind clever robbers like the ettehs and their likes.

the end point is, for all the smart criminals, nothing serious is happening to them at the end of the day at least to discourage intending criminals so the story continues,

R-Dynamite:

Dora is not so "clean".

If she has accepted Bribe from you or your acquintance or inflated contracts, expose her please

If not, what makes you think she is not "so clean"

she is definitely not a saint, but what she has done which all her numerous International awards can attest to make her a good candidate for the

job

am just being gender sensitives ooooooo,

so that the job will be kept for women

Aisha, what do u mean new?
new to stealing or governance?
do u know the meaning of proffessorship?
since u were born, have ever seen where a criminal said he has been doing it, robbers will always say, it is there first time.
somebody who has been stealing to the extent she was honoured as a proffessor in stealing.
yoruba women, from drugs to stealing in gov.

aisha2:

Lets not hang her yet, she is new, she may really have been misinformed.

Aisha am really disappointed with your view on this

Were the Directors in the FEC meeting when ministers where directed not to spend or award the said contracts

so How could they have known more than her on issue he attended the meetings

she is not even a small girl for that matter, A PROFESSOR, CONSULTANT PEDIATRICAN

haba, there are somethings you will tell me and i will believe you, but others i will feel u are insulting my intelligence

except if the story is not true,
but if it is, she has no excuse at alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Lets not hang her yet, she is new, she may really have been misinformed.

misinformed people have no business in politics.

This is what I hate about Nigerian journalism. Invited for questioning does not mean she was arrested.

If she was released and has not been charged to court for any wrong doing, why are some idiots on this forum publicly condemning her already? Why are some people so judgmental that because she is a Yoruba female she must be prone to stealing?

Gob bless Nigerians, we people are so quick to judge people without getting all the facts in the case.

ndubest:

If not, what makes you think she is not "so clean"

I'm not here to discuss her. I just made a true statement. Take it or leave it.

chidichris:

Dora is not so clean someone said but the poster never mention who is so clean and the rationale behind the statement.

I replied Ndubest so, save your jab.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20080304225032

Health minister denies arrest
By Oscarline Onwuemenyi, Abuja
Published: Tuesday, 4 Mar 2008

The Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange, on Monday denied reports that she was arrested and interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
According to a statement signed by a special assistant to the minister, Mr. Oswald Shodeinde, in Abuja, the minister was only invited to the commission last Friday to make a statement.

It stated, “In the interest of accurate information, it is hereby emphatically stated that the Minister of Health was not on any account and at any time, arrested either by the EFCC or any other security agency.

“The minister was called on Friday, February 29, 2008 to the EFCC to make a statement which she did.”

The statement further noted that the minister, who was in Lagos at the weekend to inaugurate a health facility, had returned to her duty post and was carrying on with her normal duties.

It added, “The Minister has since initiated an investigation into the allegations to determine the nature, scope and persons involved for the purpose of appropriate action.”

According to the statement, Grange is committed to the mandate of the ministry which is to improve the health of Nigerians, which is being pursued within the context of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s seven-point agenda.

Too early to crucify her.

chidichris:

Aisha, what do u mean new?
new to stealing or governance?
do u know the meaning of proffessorship?
since u were born, have ever seen where a criminal said he has been doing it, robbers will always say, it is there first time.
somebody who has been stealing to the extent she was honoured as a proffessor in stealing.
yoruba women, from drugs to stealing in gov.

Look, the woman was invited for questioning, lets get the result of the investigation. We just sit down and crucify peole without giving benefit of doubt because they are in the eye of the public and pretend we are Saints, I am not taking sides just calling for caution.
As for your comment on Dora, that was cheap and if not for the fact that i ouldnt want to insult you, i will say it is a stupid statement. People just sit and insult people anyhow and they cannot contribute anything meaningful to Nigeria, This woman has put her life and her family's life on line to serve a country that does not even desrve that kind service, and people like you who have not contributed one single positive action to the development of Nigeria sit behind your computer and paste rubbish. Mr. Clean, come out to the eye of the public lets dig into ypur past and comment on all aspects of your life, then we will see who is so clean

EFCC is still probing, but the thieving lady will be fired soon, as Yaradua reshuffles his cabinet. Watch out.

Why Health Minister Is In Trouble
By Oluokun Ayorinde/ Abuja

Disagreement over the sharing of N300 million meant to be returned to the national treasury as part of unspent 2007 national budget, but converted into Christmas bonus, is at the root of the ongoing probe of Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange and other top officials of the ministry by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, P.M.News has gathered.

The Minister of Health was reported to have been quizzed by the anti-graft agency last weekend. However, while Oswald Shodeinde, the Minister’s Special Assistant said her boss was never arrested, she agreed that the Health Ministry boss was called upon last Friday to make a statement to the EFCC on the on-going corruption probe in the ministry.

P.M.News gathered that the anti-corruption agency has continued to beam its searchlight on the Health Ministry. following a petition to the anti-graft agency by an aggrieved member of staff of the ministry who felt cheated in the sharing of the N300 million Christmas bonus.

Sources told P.M.News that rather than return the unspent funds to the national treasury as directed by President Umar Yar’Adua, some top officials had advised that it be used to pay Christmas bonus to workers in the ministry.

A sharing formula in which the lowest paid worker in the Ministry would receive at least N175,000 was said to have been agreed upon.

But a greedy director in the ministry was said to have changed this when the time came for the sharing such that the amount received by the staff at the lowest rung of the ladder came to a ‘miserly’ N40,000, while the directors still receive their full share.

This prompted the aggrieved member of staff, who felt cheated, to petition the EFCC with the vouchers for the payment of the Christmas bonus as evidence.

The anti-graft agency is said to have the full backing of President Umaru Yar’Adua in its investigations.

Apart from the minister, it was gathered that a Permanent Secretary in the ministry as well as two directors have been quizzed by the EFCC.

P.M.News gathered that the investigation is continuing and if the minister is found culpable, she may be one of those to be asked to go in the expected cabinet reshuffle by President Yar’Adua.

http://thepmnews.com/article/549

All the articles posted are yet to show evidence for any crime she committed just that she is being investigated by the EFCC, which is not necessarily a bad thing as it could also mean that someone in her office is doing something wrong and she may not know of it. I mean let us be careful the way we take these issues.

I am vindicated about Grange? She has been fired Where is Mamajama?

Now back to the question; what is the problem with Yoruba women at the Federal level?

Mobolaji Osomo fired for housing ministry graft
Etteh fired for house of rep graft
Grange fired for health ministry graft.
Prof Bolanle Aweh also had some problems with money mismanagement sometime ago.

Na wa for WAEC OOOHHHHH

Germannig:

I am vindicated about Grange? She has been fired Where is Mamajama?

Now back to the question; what is the problem with Yoruba women at the Federal level?

Mobolaji Osomo fired for housing ministry graft
Etteh fired for house of rep graft
Grange fired for health ministry graft.
Prof Bolanle Aweh also had some problems with money mismanagement sometime ago.

Na wa for WAEC OOOHHHHH

thats a realli dangerous statement in these day and age,four women corrupt with a population of how many millions/hope u realise that women are more than men in nigeria and the four are these that have been given the chance to taste,why didnt the govt choose obviously capable hands from the women in the first place if not for the fact that they were intentionally chosen for them to fail and dont forget there are bobby traps set for these ppl especially the non politicians, go check out bola ige and what they did to him,tai solarin,and thats just two much less the millions of corrupt presidents,head of states and politicians nigeria has been cursed with