FENRAD calls for probe of Abia Paris Club refund

The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), a pro-democracy and rights group, has called for investigation into all allegations of financial impropriety regarding the handling of Abia London/Paris Club Refund, ₦22bn standing to the credit of the state from 2016 to 2017.

The group made the call in a statement signed by its Head of Legal Team, Barr. Olusegun Bamgbose, on Saturday.

FENRAD said its call for a probe was sequel to a recent media releases, including that from Abia State former finance commissioner from 2015 to 2019, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, who alleged that from 2011 to 2014, during the tenure of Senator Theodore A. Orji, Abia State engaged the services of two consultancy firms to wit: Mauritz Walton Nigeria Ltd and Ziplon Nigeria Ltd, which Mr. Oriaku, who was recently invited by anti-graft agency for questioning, claimed were consulted by state government to help recover the external loan/debt charges levied on the state by the federal government known as Paris Club Refund.

FENRAD expressed shock at claims that the state government agreed to pay both firms (Mauritz Walton Nig Ltd and Ziplon Nig Ltd) 20% and 30% of the principal sum respectively in consultation fees, totaling some ₦11billion.

It accused the state government of laundering the consultancy fee allegedly through the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and paid some of the fees to a known front of Abia State government officials.

FENRAD urged the anti-graft agency to investigate the Abia State government for money laundering through a spurious consultant.

It also urged anti-graft agency to summon all parties involved to ascertain their roles in the whole saga.

The statement read further: “When it was later discovered that the consultation fees of the two firms were largely fraudulent and unsustainable, the finance ministry – then under Mr. Oriaku’s  watch as commissioner during the first tenure of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, between 2015 and 2019, withdrew from honouring such obligation urging that such monies instead be used in clearing backlog of salaries owed state workers since the fees, if paid, will gulp the state’s lean resources, for which Mauritz Walton Nigeria Ltd petitioned the anti-graft commission praying that the state had defaulted payment terms and should pay. Mr. Oriaku revealed that Ziplon Nig Ltd was not in the picture from the beginning of the consultation but only joined later (2014), being government conduit.

“FENRAD is also aware of the complaint raised and registered by Mr. Maurice Ibe of Mauritz Walton Nigeria Ltd claiming that its firm was owed ₦11billion for helping Abia State process application so as to recoup the refund which, to the credit of the state, later came in three tranches – ₦10.6bn, ₦5.7bn and ₦5.7bn respectively – from 2016 to 2017, during the first tenure of Okezie Ikpeazu-led government.

“From our sources, we noted that Abia State received the said sum of ₦22 billion under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and as well received award of transparency in handling the refund from the same Forum to boot; whereas it used a front (Ziplon Nig Ltd) as a conduit for the immediate past administration under Senator T. A. Orji, as Mr. Oriaku alleged.

While demanding for a thorough probe into the matter, FENRAD urged the anti-graft agency to be transparent and above board.”