WHY was the sum of N2.8 billion given to a contractor to train Niger Delta ex-militants converted to loan by the Presidential Amnesty Programme between 2012 and 2013? In the same vein, how did the money officially released for the training of no fewer than 319 Niger Delta youths end up in the bank accounts of individuals, groups and non-government agencies?

These are the major riddles the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is trying to unravel and recover the huge cash from whoever took it in order to plough it back into the purpose for which it was appropriated in the first place. And, the EFCC has already questioned several persons, bureaux de change owners and bank officials said to have played a role in the sharing of the cash thereby denying the Niger Delta boys the training opportunities in the Maritime industry.

But the company, which got the contract for the training of the Niger Delta youths, Foundation for Youth Development, whose Chairman is former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, insisted yesterday that the N2.8 billion was taken as loan from his company to bridge cash shortfall under the leadership of Kingsley Kuku, the immediate past Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta. Nwuche has released a set of documents to the EFCC, the Inspector General of Police and the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement and the Niger Delta, showing how the Amnesty Office through Kuku and his aides collected the N2.8 billion, a claim dismissed as false and untenable by Kuku.

Nwuche stated in his submission to both the EFCC and the House of Reps Joint Committee on Niger Delta and Public Procurement that his firm, FYD, got the job worth over N5 billion for the training of 50 ex-Niger Delta agitators in Tati University College Malaysia, 183 ex-agitators in Haipong Polytechnics College Vietnam and World Maritime University and 72 delegates at Copenhagen Malmo Maritime Academy Sweden. According to Nwuche, FYD successfully completed the training of the youths and were subsequently, granted additional three training contracts by the Presidential Amnesty Programme apparently because of the previous records of success by the firm. The three additional training contracts were awarded to FYD on June 19, 2012 by PAP for the training of ex-militants on Welding and Mechanical Engineering at Tati University College, Malaysia, Vocational Construction Training in Viglacera Vocational College, Malaysia on August 8, 2012 and the Training in Information Technology and Construction in Akademi Binnah Malaysia on September 17, 2012.

However, Nwuche complained that as soon as Kuku paid him mobilisation for the jobs, he began to plead with him to give him some money as loan so as to settle the stipends of ex-militants due to a shortfall in cash. Nwuche’s firm said, “On the 26th of March 2012, a request to intervene on students’ stipends and some ex-militant leaders was received from the Amnesty Office. The sum requested was for $1 million cash and N60 million was beyond the scope of FYD Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. A clarification was sought by Hon Chibudom Nwuche and the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Hon Kingsley Kuku, who made the request, then clarified that it was a loan request and would be paid back when the agency received funds from the Accountant General’s Office. “We received various requests for loan for the payment of stipends to the ex-militants and their leaders and various stakeholders in support of the government Amnesty Programme and made disbursement to the tune of N2,864,584,979 on the instruction of the Special Adviser to the President, Hon. Kingsley Kuku between 26th of March 2012 and 3rd of May 2013.

CONTINUE READING: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/missing-n2-8b-ex-militants-training-cash-kuku-nwuche-trade-words/

who is telling the truth?

EFCC, oya do your job. Food is ready.