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The Presidential Initiative for the North East, PINE, stinks of
corruption and poor accountability standards thus hindering efforts at
addressing the humanitarian crisis and rebuilding infrastructure in the
region, lawmakers have said.
The Senate ad-hoc committee on the north-east humanitarian crisis
uncovered what appeared to be cases of corruption, including phantom
projects and inflated contracts at the PINE during a hearing on Tuesday.
At the hearing, PINE could not properly account for about N2.5 billion, part of funds released for it for capital intervention.
In one case, PINE’S boss, Umar Gulani, claimed that the agency spent
N203 million to clear taipa grass in Yobe State; but this was rebutted
by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Lamin.
Mr. Lamin said “no taipa grass was cleared in the state by any federal government agency in Yobe State.”
Mr. Gulani also claimed PINE expended N253 million on the clearing of
invasive plants species around river banks in the state; and another
N422.5 million to provide temporary shelter (tents) to displaced
families in the state.
These were also disputed by the Yobe State representatives led by Mr. Lamin.
Also, PINE’s claim of spending several millions of naira to renovate
18 schools completely destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Yobe State
alone was also rejected by the commissioner
Only three schools have been renovated by agencies outside the state, the Commissioner said.
With the way PINE’s claims were shattered, the Senate Committee
chaired by Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna State) demanded evidence, including
photographs and documents of contracts claimed to have been executed by
the agency.
“The affected states said they were not aware of all the contracts
executed by PINE; you people just decided to make money and that is why
you decided to donate N50 million for a conference organised by an NGO,”
said a member of the committee, Theordore Orji (PDP-Abia).
As included in its statement of accounts, while PINE donated N50
million to an unnamed NGO, it spent N2 million to feed internally
displaced persons who should form the central focus of any effort at
addressing the north-east crisis.
The Senate had constituted
the ad-hoc committee in October following a motion by Baba Garbai
(APC-Borno) drawing attention to the crisis in the north-east and how
funds meant for Boko Haram victims were allegedly being mismanaged.
PINE was established by President Muhammadu Buhari to fasten the
pace of north-east recovery following the Boko Haram insurgency.
Also speaking on Tuesday, Ben Bruce (PDP-Bayelsa) said when the
committee visited some IDP camps, many women cried out for provision of
sanitary pads which he said could have been well taken care of if the
N2.5 billion given to PINE out of the budgeted N5 billion was well
utilised.
The situation of displaced persons in the north-east recently led to the United Nations raising alarm.
According to UNICEF,
4.5 million people are in dire need of assistance out of which 1
million are in danger of extreme malnutrition in the region.
UNICEF said over two million people were still trapped in areas
controlled by Boko Haram and could not be reached for assistance due to
security reasons.
However, the federal government over the weekend said the figures
provided by UNICEF and other agencies were grossly exaggerated.
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