
Pius Anyim
The
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim
and his wife are being dragged to answer questions bothering on the
whereabouts of N13b cash raised for the Centenary Project.
Where is the over N13b cash raised for the Centenary Project?
This is part of the questions detectives are asking former
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim and
his wife.
Anyim, his wife, 20 firms and others are being probed by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged fraud in the
massive project.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is said to have disregarded the
opinions of former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Bala
Mohammed and former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) on the project.
According to a document, which our correspondent stumbled on, 37
investors subscribed to the project, which was floated to mark the
amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 by the
late Sir Frederick Lord Lugard, the first Governor-General of Nigeria.
In all, $80, 750,000 (N13, 162, 250,000 then) was paid by investors.
Precious Integrated Company Limited owned by Mrs. Anyim was given
5% equity worth N815m for rendering services in kind, according to a
document The Nation stumbled on.
The land acquired for the project was 1, 264, 78 hectares and N1,
410, 178, 599.59 earmarked as compensation for 3,868 land owners, who
got N1, 234, 747, 076, 000 paid as compensation; N697, 015, 863 is yet
to be paid to land owners
The document said: “Anyim was the SGF and the coordinator of the
Centenary City Project, which was meant to be privately owned. Any
interested investor was asked to pay $5million equity.
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan, through the then FCT
Minister, approved the allocation of 1, 264, 78 hectares for the city.
But the FCT used the allocation to acquire 5% equity in the city and the
premium of the land was put at about N8billion.
“Investigation however revealed that the wife of the ex-SGF was
allocated 5% equity(worth N815million) in the Centenary City Plc.
Anyim’s wife owns Precious Integrated Limited, which is managing the
shares.
“This company didn’t contribute in monetary terms but it was
given 5% equity. When we invited Anyim’s wife and others, they said the
company ran some services during the Centenary Celebration and these
services were quantified and converted to $5million, which represents 5%
equity.”
Anyim’s wife’s company could not ascertain the services rendered.
Besides, there was no agreement that the ‘so-called services’ would be
converted to equity in the Centenary City Plc. The EFCC invited Anyim’s
wife butshe could not explain the services offered the Federal
Government. She was, however, granted bail.
“Some other firms that paid contributions for the Centenary
City were firms that enjoyed contracts from the N58, 146,983,677.85
Ecological Funds in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation during Anyim’s tenure,” the document said.
One of the 20 key firms was Foundation Years Limited, which alone
received a net payment of N10,308,017,838.85 from the Ecological Funds
between 2014 and 2015. The account opening for the project had the
address of the Office of the SGF.
“There are evidence of suspected fraud, money laundering and
abuse of office which the former SGF, wife, 20 firms and others should
be investigated for,” according to the document.
On the Centenary City Project, the document indicated that 37
investors, including foreigners and overseas companies, subscribed by
paying $80, 750,000 (N13, 162, 250,000 then). The total land acquired
for the project was 1, 264, 78 hectares and N1, 410, 178, 599.59
earmarked as compensation for 3,868 land owners.
“So far, N1, 234, 747, 076, 000 was paid as compensation,
leaving a balance of N697, 015, 863 yet to be paid. We have been able to
interact with some of the beneficiaries.
“Investigation showed that two-thirds of the companies/
individuals paid cash of $5million each. But our team discovered that
weeds have taken over the Centenary City. We have invited top officials
of Centenary City Plc for interaction on the whereabouts of the
payments made by local and foreign investors and why the project has not
taken off.
“The city was also granted the status of a Free Trade Zone by
Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority ( NEPZA). A former Managing
Director of NEPZA was invited for questioning on how he came about the
status, especially the criteria used. He said he acted on the directive
of a former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. At the
appropriate time, we might interact with the ex-minister.
But EFCC detectives also discovered that the opinions of a former
Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed and a former Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke(SAN) were
ignored by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
They also detected that many people in Jonathan government had personal interest in the project rather than national interest.
The document added: “The ex-President (Jonathan) acting in
complete disregard of the advisory opinions of the former FCT Minister
and ex-AGF approved the request for some components of the the project
by Executive Fiat. There is a clear case of people in government having
personal interest and not national interest.
“To support this opinion, the government office became the
identified business address of the centenary with all the paraphernalia
of official involvement for a purely private project.”
As at the time of filing this report, the former SGF, Anyim Pius
Anyim has been released on bail by the EFCC. There are two sureties, but
his passport has been seized and he is expected to report at the EFCC
whenever he is invited.
***
Via The Nation
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