Finance Ministry speaks on controversy over alleged $2million per month PR job

The Federal Ministry of Finance said that it had not hired any Public Relations foreign firm for 2 million dollars (N612 million) per month.

DAILY POST gathered that the decision is causing controversy among staff of the ministry.

A British firm was said to have been hired to manage the image of the Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the ministry’s offshore relations with global investors.
Workers in the ministry had leaked the alleged contract, wondering why the Federal Government hired a foreign PR firm and paid in hard currency, for a job Nigerian PR experts could effectively execute.
In a statement on Wednesday, Director of Information, Ministry of Finance, Salisu Dambatta, confirmed that a PR consultant was hired by the Federal Government, as part of the Eurobond programme.

He however did not disclose the actual figure the Ministry pays the firm monthly.
“The Public Relations firm, Africa Practice, has been retained by the Federal Government on the approval of the Federal Executive Council to work with the Debt Management Office as part of the Eurobond programme for a three-year period alongside four other firms.
“This followed a competitive tender that was advertised and due process was fully followed and was publicly announced earlier this year.

“The representative of Africa Practice was in Washington DC in continuation of the Eurobond programme and in support of the country’s outreach with international investors who showed great enthusiasm to do business with Nigeria.
“However, the false reports have not dimmed the successful participation of the Nigerian delegation in the World Bank and IMF Spring meetings, nor questioned the obvious gains made by Nigeria in the course of the meetings,” he said. ‎
At the just concluded IMF/World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC, the consultant shielded Adeosun from Nigerian journalists but allowed access foreign press access to the Minister..