Home CORRUPTION Governor of Edo state insists on the arrest of Ngozi Okonji-Iweala

Governor of Edo state insists on the arrest of Ngozi Okonji-Iweala

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The accusations against the former minister of finance Dr. Ngosi okonji Iweala is growing considerable interest especially from the governor of Edo state, Gov Adams Oshiomhole.

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Oshionhole who has constantly said the Federal Government must make sure that the ongoing investigation into arms deals under the past administration is total by ensuring that all those involved in what he called “the chain of conspiracy” are dealt with decisively.

The governor has specifically called for the arrest and prosecution of Okonjo-Iweala, saying that it’s not possible for money to leave the nation’s treasury without her knowledge. 

Oshiomhole who spoke with the state house correspondents on Wednesday argued that if a Minister of Finance endorsed document to ensure the release of funds, it was the responsibility of the Minister to also ensure that the money was spent on the purpose for which it was released.

The governor said, “I am not shocked at the revelations from the arms probe. I have just told some people that the government has to go the whole hog because I know as a governor that no money gets out of the treasury even after I have approved as the governor without the commissioner of finance. That is the procedure.

“So, the probe should go into whether or not this money was properly appropriated, all of it. How did the money get out of the treasury, through who? The Minister of Finance, under the rules, must endorse before money gets out of the treasury, before the Central Bank of Nigeria will release the money.

“All those ministers of finance, including Okonjo-Iweala, should be probed. I don’t care what people say. You cannot be coordinating a corruption-ridden economy and be pretending to be an angel.”

Oshiomhole added, “We cannot selectively deal with the issue. We must deal with all those involved in this chain of conspiracy.

“In criminal law, when two or three people are involved in an act of criminality, all of them are charged with conspiracy because you cannot get money out of the treasury without them knowing.

“For a government that was talking about transparency, due process, no objection and all those things they put in place, I am unable to accept that money can come out without the Minister of Finance endorsing documents.

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“When you endorse documents, you must follow through to ensure that funds are used for the purpose that they were released.”

Oshiomhole indicated that the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), was supposed to be an advisory officer and not a procurement agent for government. He went further to  say he was happy about the revelations so far, the governor said the figures currently in public domain were just a tip of the iceberg.

“If you look at the total expenditure on subsidy, which the World Bank has just released its figure, lay your hands on the various appropriation bills passed by the National Assembly in the recent past and see how much was appropriated for oil subsidy for those period and you will find out that they are not up to half of what government actually spent.

“This means money not appropriated was spent. That is criminal. People, who were involved in those acts, must be brought to justice.”

On the position of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on the ongoing minimum wage debate, Oshiomhole said his colleagues missed the point.

He argued that if there were crises in the system, it was natural that those who had excess fat should shed weight.

The governor said by considering reducing minimum wage or workforce, governors were only looking for an escape route.

He said, “With all due respect to my brother-governors, they missed the point. It is offensive to talk about minimum. How can the food of the steward be the reason why elders have nothing to eat?

“If there are crises in the system, it is those who have excess fat that should shed weight, not the skeleton.

“The idea of using minimum wage is very offensive to my own morality. Governors of course must shed weight but it goes beyond token system. We are dealing with structural challenges.

“When there are issues, we just look for the escape route option. Those are not at the heart of the challenge. We must revisit issues.”

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Oshiomhole added that it was wrong to profer the same solution to the various problems facing each of the states of the federation, saying each state should evaluate its problem and come up with solutions.

He wondered why he, as governor of Edo State, would earn the same salary as the governor of Lagos State and other states richer than his state.

He added, “I also believe that it is simplistic to believe that one drug will cure all the ailments in the various states. Every state has to take its own independent evaluation of its own problems and design appropriate policy instrument to deal with those problems as they relate to each state.

“We cannot have governors’ wives’ solution. The problem in Y State is not the same with the ones in Edo State. Everybody has to deal with his own.

“I also think that if anybody ever wants to talk about federalism, let us not talk about it when it affects the wage of the lowest paid.

“I have asked this question: why should Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, receive the same salary as Ambode, the governor of Lagos State, when the population of Lagos State is more than double the population of Edo State and their GDP is much higher than that of Edo State?

“Why should I receive the same pay as the governor of Zamfara State? Why should I receive the same pay as the governor of Akwa Ibom State? These states are richer, not necessarily courtesy of anybody’s industry, but by the accident of location.

“If we want to preach this principle of federal system, everybody should pay according to his cost of living. The cost of governing Edo State is not the same as the cost of governing Lagos State.

“Why should the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission fix my pay and fix the pay of Lagos State?

“If we want to run a true federal system, start from the top; that is leading by example. We cannot protect those privileged ones at the top and attack those at the bottom.

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“This has nothing to do with the fact that I was once a labour leader. Even if I wasn’t, the truth is that wages are not a burden to this economy. People also need to understand that assuming, without suggesting that we abolish wages, no more salary, what happens?

“When people do not earn and therefore they cannot spend, they are excluded from the economy. That fact of exclusion will have devastating impact on consumption levels in the economy.

“Where will manufacturers of goods and services sell? You take a look at the average living pattern of salary workers, you will find out that their average consumption pattern is more inward looking. They will likely be the guys who eat a lot of garri, pounded yam, fried yam and pepper soup made in Nigeria.

“Compare it to the consumption pattern of the elite. They are the ones that will buy first-class ticket on British Airways. They are the ones that are likely to buy vehicles that are imported; they are likely to live in homes half of which are built with imported materials.”

The governor said he was currently fighting battles in his state by forcing the rich to pay taxes, especially land use charge.

Oshiomhole stated, “I am fighting battles in Edo State. I am saying to the rich guys that they have to pay tax.

“They are saying ‘who am I’ and I am saying ‘I am government’. You pay your land use charge on your house abroad.

“I squeeze you; if you do not pay, we will take you to court and secure conviction and take you to prison.’

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