I didn't resign because of alleged missing SURE-P N500bn -- Kolade
(Nigeria) Dr Christopher Kolade on Thursday dismissed reports linking
his resignation as Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment
Programme, SURE-P, with the alleged missing N500 billion SURE-P funds.
Kolade told newsmen in Abuja that his resignation was rather
on age grounds.
He said that he had explained in his letter of resignation
sent to president Goodluck that having attained 80 years, he wanted to slow
down on energy-demanding activities.
``I explained in the letter that having done this SURE-P
programme for two years and because within the next month I would be clocking
81, I am giving up some activities that take my energy.
``The letter I wrote was sent on the 26 of September long
before the rumour of the missing fund started, so there is no connection
between the two.’’
Kolade said that it was unfortunate that some media houses
did not do enough investigation on the alleged missing N500 billion before
going to press.
``To write an editorial based on rumour (because they
refused to get the truth before writing) is a waste of energy and a betrayal of
trust. The media has the responsibility of informing the public and they (it)
must do so with facts,’’ Kolade said.
He explained that the SURE-P committee was responsible for
managing, on behalf of the Federal Government, only 41 percent of funds
accruing from the subsidy removal.
According to him, out of the remaining 59 per cent, 54 per
cent goes to the states and local governments while the remaining 5 per cent is
allocated to the Ecological Fund.
``The group that started this rumour said that this
committee appeared before the National Assembly and only accounted for N300
billion out of the N800 billion that is the totality of the money. So if the
committee accounted for N300 billion, in order words, we have accounted for our
41 per cent. So, is the remaining N500 billion really unaccounted for?
``The answer is ‘no’ because we know that the 59 per cent
goes to states, Local Governments and the Ecological Fund and this does not
show that the fund is missing. It just shows that the persons who said the fund
is missing is deliberately ignorant of
the fact of case.
“I say so because the Federal Minister of Finance published
the breakdown of the amount of money
that goes to each area.''
Kolade, therefore, urged the media to verify their facts
before reporting and not to heat up polity by giving members of the public the
impression that they were being defrauded.
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