SERAP Wants El-Rufai, Four Others Probed Over Alleged Corruption

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has called for the probe of past Director Generals of the Bureau of Public Enterprises over alleged corruption in the privatisation of public enterprises in the country.

In an open letter by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, on Sunday, the human rights advocacy group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order the probe of the five Directors General that manned the BPE between 1999 and 2011.

The group said the ex-DGs should be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for probe.

It listed the DGs as the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (1999-2003); Dr. Julius Baba (2003-2004); Mrs. Irene Chigbue (2004-2009); Dr Chris Anyanwu (2009-2010); and Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa (2010-2012).

SERAP said the move was necessitated following the report of the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Privatisation and Commercialisation of activities by the Bureau of Public Enterprise from 1999 to 2011.

It said the report contains “damaging allegations of corruption, presidential interference, and abuse of due process in the selection of core investor, valuation of public enterprises, pricing of shares/assets, determination of workers terminal benefits, and use of proceeds of privatisation.”

It was alleged that the five past DGs of the BPE “used privatisation proceeds to pay transaction expenses, consultancy fees and staff terminal benefits without appropriation by the National Assembly, in violation of Section 19(2) of the Public Enterprises Act”.

“Specifically, the committee, among others, found that a total sum of N301bn was realised as proceeds of privatisation from 1999 to 2011,” SERAP said.

“N900m of that was used as loan to Nigeria Re-insurance Plc for recapitalisation, in violation of section 19(2) of the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act 1999.

“Folio Communications Limited pledged the assets of Daily Times Nigeria Plc to obtain loan from bank(s) and utilised the loan to pay for the share of the company.

“Core investor converted the premises of Volkswagen Nigeria Limited into bonded warehouses for storage of contrabands mainly rice, vegetable oils, fertilizer, but was not reported by the BPE.”