CHRISTOPHER KOLADE
“The Committee attention is on making things happen, with the citizens as the targets for the projects service delivery since they paid the sacrifice for the subsidy money. We are going beyond rhetoric to execute the mandate of making sure that the money budgeted is used to alleviate the immediate impact of petroleum subsidy discontinuation on Nigerians, accelerate economic transformation through investment in critical infrastructure projects so as to drive economic growth and achieve Vision 20:20:20 and lay a foundation for the successful development of a national safety-net program that is better targeted at the poor and most vulnerable on a continuous basis.” – stated the then newly appointed chairman of the SURE-P program, Dr. Christopher Kolade shortly following the formation of the central national committee in April 2012.
The Federal Government headed by President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan had budgeted for SURE-P program, the amount of N180bn in the 2012 budget following a passionate and near uprising by the Nigerian populace over the unpopular increase in petrol prices by 200% on January 1st 2012 without prior warning. The SURE-P was designed to help quell the ensuing uprising. But the implementation and/or actualization of the lofty programs itemized in the SURE-P seven [7] months later appears lacking and nonexistent.
Information available to 247ureports.com obtained through sources conversant with the inside activities of the SURE-P national coordinating committee gave a glimpse into the possible obstacles that may have subverted the process and possibly continues to subvert the program.
It was meant to understand that the composition of the coordinating committee triggered the beginnings of the problems that have since engulfed the efficacy of the program. In particular, the source points to the President’s representative at the SURE-P committee – the organizing secretary – Nze Akachukwu Nwankpa who also serves as a Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters.
The formation of the national coordinating committee also came along with N1billion purse from the Federal Government for the setting up of an office and associated staff. The fund was to be managed under the office of the Secretary of the committee.
However, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpa, masked in the cloak of presidency, according to our source, managed to corner the N1billion reserved for the setup of the SURE-P committee – and has to date yet to release ‘a single kobo” out of the N1billion. Instead, the President’s Special Adviser has turned his focus away from the SURE-P program to his personal political career.
Akachukwu Nwankpa who is a native of Ihiala North Local Government Area [LGA] in Anambra is reported to have aspirations to become the governor of Anambra State in 2014 under the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]. To this, the Nwankpa team has opened campaign offices in the major urban centers of Anambra State – including a campaign website with web address www.akachukwu.org – where it states clearly the ambitions of the Special Adviser to the President.
But the near mischief activity of the special advisor surrounds the N1billion. Authoritative information indicates that the special adviser has not paid any member of the coordinating committee their seating allowances nor has he made the necessary funds available to set up a befitting office for the national coordinating body of SURE-P. Instead, the Special adviser “went to Anambra to employ would-be political workers in his upcoming gubernatorial exercise into the staff of SURE-P” to help him prepare for the upcoming exercise.
Our source reveals further that Akachukwu Nwankpa may have already dipped his hands into the SURE-P kitty to begin the funding his gubernatorial campaign. He has purchase 27 mini buses [Toyota] for the 21 LGAs of Anambra State and for use by the campaign aides. A broad campaign structure also has been set up and staffed with campaign workers. At a recent Anambra PDP function held in Abuja at the PDP Headquarters, Wadata Plaza on Thursday November 22, 2012, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpa showed up and distributed monies generously to stakeholders in the Anambra State PDP Theater. He gave Ken Emeakaiyi, the factional leader of the PDP in Anambra State N5millon while distributing N350,000 each to the ‘boy’ entourage that accompanied the factional chairman to the event. The boys numbered seven.
The funds are believed to originate from the SURE-P kitty.
Cursory inquiry uncovers the failed promise to actualize the goal of setting up the said rail line system that would connect Abuja to Lagos by December of 2012 – as indicative and/or symptomatic of the unfolding financial crimes allegedly committed by Nze Akachukwu Nwamkpa. The rail system remains in limbo and cash starved.
What appears disturbing is that when some of his colleagues confronted him of the unfolding crime, the response from the special adviser was reported as cankankerous. “He got physical”.
