COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO- DAY WORKSHOP ON MONITORING AND REPORTING OF OIL SUBSIDY FRAUD/CORRUPTION CASES IN NIGERIA, HELD AT ROCKVIEW HOTEL, APAPA, LAGOS 9- 10 JUNE, 2014.

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO- DAY WORKSHOP ON MONITORING AND REPORTING OF OIL SUBSIDY FRAUD/CORRUPTION CASES IN NIGERIA, HELD AT ROCKVIEW HOTEL, APAPA, LAGOS 9- 10 JUNE, 2014.
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), with support from Justice for All (J4A) a window of funding of DfID, organised a two-day workshop from June 9-10, 2014 at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos. The workshop was part of activities of ANEEJ “Advocacy against impunity in oil subsidy regime in Nigeria” project. Twenty Two (22) participants drawn from media and Civil Society attended the workshop.
The meeting reviewed the investigations and prosecution of cases relating to oil subsidy fraud and corruption arising from the 2012 national protests that greeted attempt by the Federal Government to completely remove subsidy on PMS, and the reports of various probe committees of the Federal Government.
The workshop noted the followings:
• Weaknesses and challenges in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police in delivering on their mandate as it relates to oil subsidy fraud/corruption cases.
• Weaknesses in the Judiciary resulting in slow pace of prosecution of suspects charged to courts and hence no convictions, more than two years after the national protests.
• Participants expressed worries over the management of funds under Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P), running into billions of dollars saved from fuel subsidy since January 2012 till date.
• Participants noted poor cooperation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries in the release of information to the general public even when sought under the Freedom of Information Act as it relates to oil subsidy fraud and corruption investigation and prosecution since January 2012 till date.
• Civil Society and media appear not to have done enough in pushing for more action and holding government to account.
• Participants decried non availability of details as to how much money recovered as a ratio of what was stolen by the suspects.
• Lack of comprehensive reporting by the Central Bank of Nigeria on recovered monies
In the light of the above, the workshop made the following calls on major stakeholders:
1 President Goodluck Jonathan to demonstrate the political will to prosecute all companies and individuals indicted by the Lawan Farouk and Nuhu Ribadu Committees on oil subsidy fraud and corruption . There should be no shielding of sacred cows by government.
2. The Judiciary should expeditiously adjudicate all pending criminal matters relating to oil subsidy fraud/corruption and bring all erring persons to justice as justice delayed is justice denied.
3. The Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) should release and make public information on all cases currently going on relating to oil subsidy fraud and corruption.
4. The National Assembly should revisit the issue of oil subsidy fraud/corruption and demand accountability from the executive and judicial arms of government as part of its oversight functions.
5. The EFCC and SFU should be properly financed and resourced to execute their mandates of thoroughly investigating and prosecution of suspects.
6. The Federal Government should create a Special Oil and Gas Sector Financial Crimes Unit as recommended by the Nuhu Ribadu Committee as the anti-corruption agencies are not sufficiently equipped to deal with these specialised crimes.
Civil Society and Media commit to :
7. Intensify efforts in monitoring and reportage of progress made on oil subsidy fraud and corruption cases and deepen their investigative prowess to expose the seeming cover- ups.
8. Galvanize Nigerians to further action by holding government to account on the need to bring all oil subsidy fraud/corruption suspects to justice.
9. Tracking billions of dollars from savings on oil subsidy as a result of increase of pump price to N97 per litre since January 2012 accruing to the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P).
SIGNED:
1. Mr. Leo Atakpu, Deputy Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ.
2. Mr. Kunle Idowu, Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGOs)
3.Mrs. Oyindamola Musa -Oseni, Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
4. Comrade Lawal Ibrahim Adebayo , Labour, Health and Human Rights Development Centre, Lagos.