Nigeria’s Federal Government Wednesday reacted to the United Kingdom commercial court judgement that ruled that there is no evidence of fraud in the OPL 245 transaction between Nigeria and JP Morgan Chase Bank saying it was studying the judgement.
The Commercial Court of England and Wales on Tuesday June 14, 2022 ruled on the matter in Case No CL-2017-000730 as contained in its 137-paged judgement.
An Italian court in 2021 also dismissed all corruption charges in the OPL 245 deal, discharging and acquitting all the defendants.
The Nigerian government in the judgement lost $1.7 billion claims against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in 2011.
Reacting to the judgement on behalf of the Federal Government, Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke with newsmen at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, said the government’s lawyers will study the ruling and decide whether to appeal or not.
Commenting on the Court judgement, Mohammed said: “The last question is about Malabu Oil. I also read the judgement. Malabu oil and I think strangely enough, the judge said we were not able to establish that we lost $1.7 billion.
“But I also read further that the lawyer said that they are studying the judgement and they will take the appropriate step on whether to appeal or not.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the enactment of the Federal Fire and Rescue Service Establishment Act 2022.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, told newsmen that the proposed law is meant to replace the old law establishing the Fire Service, which has been in existence for 60 years.
He said: “The Federal Executive Council today approved the repeal of the 60 year old Fire Service Act Cap F29, LFN 2004 and in its stead, the council approved the enactment of the Federal Fire and Rescue Service Establishment Act 2022, which is meant to bring into currency the operations and professionalism of the Federal Fire Service as it delivers its services to Nigerians.”
According to him, the Council directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to fine tune the bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage.
His words: “The Attorney General was required to process and present to the National Assembly for review and ultimate passage and we expect that the law, when eventually passed and approved by the President will help in improving the capability and capacity of the Federal fire Service”.
Also briefing, Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said FEC also approved N66.9 billion for the rehabilitation of Kashimbila-Takum-Chahchangi road in Taraba State, North-East Nigeria.
He said: “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented one memorandum and it was for the rehabilitation of the 91.94 kilometre Kashimbila-Takum-Chahchangi road in Taraba State and council approved the proposal by the ministry in the sum of N66.983 billion.”
Fashola said the project will help boost the transportation network in Taraba State and the entire North-East.
The Council also approved N23.9 billion for the procurement of equipment for airports across the country.
Briefing on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the equipment to be procured include radio communication system for some control towers and instrument landing systems for some airports.
According to him: “The Minister of Aviation presented two memos, one was for the award of contract for the upgrade of twelve airports tower voice communication and control system radio for twelve airports located in Akure, Benin, Calabar, Ibadan, Ilorin, Jos, Minna, Owerri, Sokoto, Yola, Kaduna and Enugu.
“The contract was for the sum of N9.988 billion with a completion period of 13 months. As you are aware, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA has a statutory mandate to enhance safety and security of the Nigerian airspace and it is in line with this that it sought to upgrade 12 air control towers voice and communication control system.”
Mohammed said the communication tower had to be upgraded because the ones currently in use have aged and also to enhance better performance in the 12 airports in line with technological advancements and aviation industry’s best practices..
He added that N14 billion for the procurement of instrument landing systems for Lagos Abuja, Katsina and Portharcourt airports.
Said he: “The Ministry of Aviation also sought and obtained approval for the award of contract fir the procurement and installation of air field lighting category three instrument landing systems in Lagos, Abuja, Katsina and Portharcourt airports.
“This has to do with safety. The memo was approved and contract was awarded in the sum of 14,036,000,000. This is in a bid to carryout statutory mandate of developing and managing all relevant aviation services for safe secure and efficient carriage of passengers and goods.”
He also said the move was necessitated by the recent increase in the fleet of passengers across the four airports.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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