Victor EzejaFormer governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda has revealed how alleged scams were discovered in petrol, subsidy payments between 2008 and 2009 and but unfortunately, the recommendations made were not implemented.
He claimed that the fraudulent activities surrounding subsidies were uncovered when he chaired the sub-committee on Subsidy under the presidential Steering Committee on Economic Meltdown 2008 and 2009 when he was governor of Bauchi State.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe alleged that there were cases when subsidies were claimed by some officials in the NNPC and affiliated marketers on pipelines that never existed.
READ ALSO: Bauchi Ex-gov Reveals He has A Friend Tired Of Making Money From Fuel Subsidy Scam
Yuguda, who appeared on Channels Television on Monday, said “Everything about the scam in subsidy regime was discovered by my committee.”
“We came across situations where subsidies were claimed on pipelines that never existed.… Those in the subsidy scams just fill papers, and invoices and claim subsidies on it. In fact, there was an instance of a pipeline that was supposed to exist between Lagos and Warri, and tonnes of money was collected on subsidies for a pipeline that never existed. This is Nigeria for you,” Yuguda lamented.
He further stated that the part of the fund that went into subsidizing the cost of fuel, only benefited other countries in Sub-Saharan and Central Africa, adding that the bulk of the products were smuggled out of the country. “Then who is subsidizing who?” he queried.
He said the report of the committee that he headed that uncovered the fraud, was submitted to the Federal Government but nothing was done about it as there were people with entrenched interests who blocked it.
He said it can be very frustrating in Nigeria to implement policies, especially where there are entrenched interests and a cabal that exists.
He liked the issue of subsidy fraud to bunkering activities which seems to be like an albatross that can be stopped because the political will to do so is not there.
He narrated an incident when a friend of his had highlighted the kind of money made from the scam.
“I remember a friend of mine in the oil industry, who during a meeting of an economic think tank. He called the then president aside and said, ‘Mr President please stop this subsidy, we are tired of making money’”.
Yuguda, however, did not name the friend or the president involved.
He said the subsidy regime should have gone in 2012 and 2013. He labeled those opposing subsidy removal of as selfish ones, who are connected to the scammers that are draining government resources through the scheme.
He said previous governments lacked the political will to end it as President Bola Tinubu has done.
Tinubu had during his inaugural address on May 29, said the subsidy scheme has to go as it only succeeded in enriching a few Nigerians to the detriment of the masses and government resources.
Yuguda, who is also a former Minister of State Transport and Aviation, expressed optimism that President Tinubu with his pedigree and experience, could be able to surmount the challenges.
He added that with the subsidy having been removed, monies hitherto spent on the scheme would be deployed to repaying debts.
While noting that there is no reason the refineries in the country are not functional despite the billions of naira spent on them every year, the former governor also called for the prosecution of all those involved in the subsidy scam.
“Those involved, I believe, should not go free. Because there is no how a country like Nigeria with over 200 million people would have close to 90 per cent below the poverty line, we cannot explain it when one person is owning yatches all over the world. Keeping all sorts of rubbish outside Nigeria; feeding fat on the death, the hunger of our people.”
“The records are all there, and there is no time limit to investigate these people. If the government has the political will these individuals can be held to account”, Yuguda said.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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