Dino Melaye accused federal government of secretly sharing $4billion

The federal government has denied reports that it was secretly sharing over $4 billion, being refund of over-deduction from the federal and the 36 States as Paris and London Club debt repayments. Dino Melaye, the chairman of Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, on Monday, November 28, accused the federal government of sharing the money in November 2016‎.

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, in reaction to the allegation said ‎no such money was shared. She said: “It is absolutely not correct. No $4 billion was shared. Where will the government get the $4 billion from?”‎ Melaye, who is representing Kogi West Senatorial District, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to step in and ensure the funds paid to the state governments was not looted.

He said: “‎The 36 states of the Federation collectively received over $4 billion being the over-deduction on Paris and London Club Loans on the accounts of State and Local Governments from February 1990 to March 2002,” Melaye said. ‎”The movement of the funds has been confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Nasarawa State received N68 billion, Kogi, N80 billion; Benue, N91 billion, while Plateau, received 75 billion. “Osun received N84 billion and Edo State received N82 billion. The monies were credited into the respective accounts of all the 36 states of Federation on Monday, 21st November, 2016, while that of Plateau State was paid into a UBA account (1019894291).

Nasarawa State confirmed to have been paid into Fidelity and Skye Banks for State Government (N46 billion) and Local Government (N22 billion) respectively.” Melaye expressed regrets that all the 36 states governors did not want the general public, especially civil society organisations, to know about these monies, hence the secrecy in the payment.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has admitted that the presidency underestimated the problems facing Nigeria when they assumed office. Adesina while speaking as a guest on a television show ‘Seriously Speaking’, aired on Channels Television on Monday, November 28, said: “We all must agree that the enormity of the problem was underestimated. John Oyegun, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that; Segun Oni, former governor of Ekiti state, has said that, too.