Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has revealed how he, two weeks ago, foiled an attempt by an agro-dealer to defraud the Federal Government of N600 million.
According to the minister, “Two weeks ago, somebody submitted invoices to us under the GES arrangement; and asked for N600 million on fish fingerlings and so on. “When I saw it, I said ‘no, this is too much.’ So, we went into very thorough investigations and he settled for N15 million, from N600 million.
“So, things happen. In spite of what we are trying to say, people are still insistent that this is their chance to make a kill.”
Ogbeh, however, expressed hope that President Muhammadu Buhari’s arrangement with the Moroccan Government, for the supply of phosphate, will make the product more affordable and accessible and disclosed further that government is reaching out to the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), in a bid to check product diversion, while efforts are also on to keep the price of the commodity at below N6, 000 per bag.
“In the GES scheme, there was a person who was carrying fertilizer from here and selling in Cameroun, generating invoices and coming back to claim the money. We are trying to get hold of NARTO, to appeal to them; it’s very difficult to check trailer drivers. The last time we sent food to the North East, some fifty-something trucks were stolen.
“Even in the face of this trouble, people still stole trucks; one of them has been with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The commission has seized all his property.
“There was a time they delivered bags of sharp sand to one state government and they are still in the warehouse there and they got paid. “Let me say something to you; the degree of rottenness in our society is not limited to the government only,” the minister added.
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