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Alleged ₦81.2bn Tree Planting Scandal: House Committee Exonerates NAGGW

Published

2 years ago

December 10, 2023

The House of Representatives Adhoc Committee set up to investigate the utilisation of Ecological Fund released to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), has absolved the Agency’s management of allegations of fraud allegations leveled against it.

The Honorable Ismaila Dabo-led Adhoc committee was set up in July, to investigate allegations of mismanagement of funds released to the agency from the Ecological Fund.

This followed a motion titled: “The Need to Investigate the Utilization of Ecological Funds Released to the Great Green Wall by the International Organizations from 2015 to Date; and All Federal Allocations to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall as well as all Contract Awarded to Various Contractors for the Project from 2019 to Date.” which was sponsored by Honourable Ali Lawan Shettima.

The House panel, in a report obtained by Vanguard, on Sunday, revealed that it reached the conclusion after considering oral evidence and reviewing documents made available to it by those who testified before the 15 member committee.

At the inaugural sitting of the Adhoc Committee, the management team of the agency was invited to shed light on allegations that it spent ₦81.2 billion on the planting of 21 million trees across 11 frontline states.

The States listed were: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

The House Committee equally queried the agency over discrepancies in some of its expenditures.

Director General/CEO of National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Dr. Yusuf Maina Bukar, in his presentation before the Committee in September, denied the allegation while making clarifications on budgetary allocations to the agency.

He informed the committee that he assumed office in April 2022, and that berifiable records show that the sum of ₦53,425,423,874.34 was the amount released to the Agency from inception to July 2023, as against the sum of N81.2 bn which the Agency was alleged to have spent.

Bukar insisted the Agency has not acted outside its mandate in the implementation of its mandate.

According to him, not all of the ₦53,425,423,874.34 received were directly spent for tree planting activities as some uninformed persons would want Nigerians to believe.

He said, “The NAGGW cost of planting, from inception in 2015 to July 2023 is ₦5,145,735,470.15

“That the approximate sum of ₦7.2 billion balance in the Agency’s account are liabilities already committed to ongoing contracts that have already been awarded.

“All unutilized funds from capital appropriation are refunded to Federal Government TSA account at the end of the financial year where applicable.”

The Honourable Dabo fifteen-man Committee in its report also faulted the claim that the agency received the sum of ₦81.2 bn noting that, “Evidence from the Hearing indicates that the NAGGW received a total sum of ₦53,425,423,874.34 (Fifty-three Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-five Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-three Thousand, Eight Hundred- and Seventy-four-naira, Thirty-four Kobo) only from inception in 2015 to July, 2023.”

In the course of its investigations, the Committee also discovered that the Agency didn’t receive budgetary allocation for 2015; and that ecological funding was not released to the agency until 2019.

The House panel also discovered that, “the percentage of ecological funding going to the Agency was reduced from 15% provided for by the Act to just 5% with effect from January 2020 to date.”

The report acknowledged the paucity and untimely release of funds, inability to access foreign assistance and absence of a Governing Board as some of the factors hindering the performance of the agency.

The lawmakers equally expressed displeasure over the unilateral reduction in the statutory allocation to the agency by fiat, and urged government, as a matter of urgency revert the Ecological Fund releases to the agency back to 15 percent as provided for by the NAGGW Act.

The report further read in part, “That the total sum of ₦20,168,363,662.18 (Twenty Billion, One Hundred and Sixty- Eight Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Thousand, Six Hundred- And Sixty-Two-Naira, Eighteen Kobo) only being the shortfall of the reduction from Ecological Fund for January, 2020 to date, be immediately released to the Agency to fund its activities;”

Other recommendations contained in the report read : “Similarly, the Ecological fund office should calculate remit to the NAGGW the total sums due to the agency from the Ecological Fund from 2015 to 2018;

“Urge the National Agency for the Great Green Wall to as a matter of urgency include the frontline states of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in the fourth phase of the a forestation projects which is to commence soon.

“There is urgent need for the agency to undertake recruitment of staff, especially for its offices at the front line states;

“Need for a greater collaboration and synergy between the NAGGW and the Federal Ministry of Environment;”

“Urge the Federal Government to constitute a Governing Board for the National Agency for the Great Green Wall;

“Need for extensive enlightenment of the general public on the sustainable use of the forest for preservation.”

Aside from submissions by the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Ecological Project Office, the Committee also undertook on-the-spot assessment visit to projects sites in some of the frontline states, namely; Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto State.

News

Edo: Foundation Puts Smile On Less Privileged Faces, Gives 100 Free Medical Surgery

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Not less than a hundred less privileged patients on Wednesday in Benin benefited from a free medical surgery carried out by Dr. Paddy Emmanuel Foundation.

The surgical operations were carried out on ailments ranging from Fibroids, Hernia, Liponia breast lump and others.

Speaking, the founder and Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, said since the commencement of the free medical outreach in 2014, over 3000 persons have benefited in Edo and Delta.

Paddy, who said the programme was driven purely by compassion and not political motives, added: “Life is all about what you can give back to the people because you came with nothing and you go back with nothing. I have been giving back to society in the past 10 years to impact the people”, he said.

He stressed that many of the beneficiaries could not have afforded the cost of treatment on their own.

“This gesture is outside politics. We started as far back as 2014 and we have been doing it every year. Some persons who come for treatment tell you they have not had food to eat, not to talk of getting money, which sometimes runs into millions, to give to the doctor.

“The experience in the last 10 years has been fulfilling and impactful. I am happy to see burdens lifted off people.

“Life is vanity and when you are gone, you will be remembered for what you have done. I hope to continue till Jesus calls me.”

Director General of the foundation, Mr. Zion Oshiobugie, explained that while the first nine editions of the medical outreach were held in Delta State, the 10th edition marks the first time Edo residents were benefitting from the initiative.

Oshiobugie noted that the annual programme is fully funded by the founder, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, who dedicates his birthday every year to providing life-changing healthcare for indigent citizens.

According to him, “What he does is to mark his birthday on the 30th of November every year with the free surgeries which have benefitted 3,000 persons. He wants humanity to benefit from his birthday instead of just partying.

“So this programme, which takes place for one week every year, is borne out of love for humanity, which is in line with the motto of our foundation, ” Touching Lives”

“Every year, we partner with our surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, who brings his team from Lagos. He has been one of our partners and he is a respected member of the Nigeria Medical Association.”

Partners and team lead of the medical personnel from Lagos, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, expressed his commitment to the outreach, disclosing his personal calling to give back after surviving a ghastly motor accident years ago.

“I am here with 24 members of my team from Lagos. We perform fibroid surgeries which have allowed women to have their own children. We also perform hernia, lipoma, breast lump and other surgeries.

“Last week, we got a text that one of the women we operated on in 2020 now has three kids. That means this intervention is creating relief for our people.

“The focus is on the less privileged because when you do this, you give it to God. Each year we come back, people give testimonies of the good things that have happened to them.”

A 19-year-old Nelson Ehigie who benefited from the free medical operation, thanked the foundation for the free surgery.

“I’m very grateful to Dr. Paddy Foundation. My parents couldn’t afford the cost so we had to come here for the surgery. God bless Dr. Iyamu,” he said.

News

BREAKING: NNPCL Reduces Fuel Price After Dangote Refinery, Depot Owners Cut Rates

Published

4 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit pump price after Dangote Refinery and depot owners dropped ex-depot prices.

A visit to filling stations in Abuja on Thursday, gathered that the state-owned firm has slashed its fuel price to N930 per litre from N945.

The downward adjustment has been implemented in NNPCL retail outlets in Kubwa Expressway, Gwarimpa, Wuse Zone 4, Zone 6 and filling stations within Abuja and environs.

This means that NNPCL reduced its fuel retail price by N10 per litre.

It was also observed that other Nigerian filling stations, such as Ranoil in Gwarimpa, have reduced fuel pump prices by N5 to N935 per litre from N940.

Similarly, MRS and AP Ardova filling stations in Abuja are currently dispensing their petrol between N930 and N935.

The development comes as Dangote Refinery and depot owners such as Pinnacle and Aiteo dropped ex-depot prices by at least N10 to N846, N845, and N844 per litre, respectively, as of Thursday morning.

Earlier, the spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, told DAILY POST that fuel prices may drop further as the ongoing petrol price war intensifies.

News

Delta-billionaire Lawuru To Grace Ijaw Media Conference As Guest Of Honour

Published

15 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

The President of Egbema Brotherhood, Alaowei Promise Lawuru, is expected to grace the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference 2025, as a guest of honour.

The event is scheduled to hold on December 3rd, 2025, in Warri, Delta State.

The annual media conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers Forum with the theme ‘Safeguarding Niger Delta’s Natural Resources for Future Generations,’ is second edition of the series.

Lawuru, youthful politician and businessman’s willingness to appear as guest of honour was made known
when a delegation of the Central Working Committee led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo paid him a visit to inform him of the forthcoming event and his expected role.

In his presentation, Akemotubo explained that this year’s theme was chosen out of concern for the growing strain on the region’s land and waters.

The Publisher of WaffiTV stressed that the forum wants to strengthen public understanding, support honest reportage, and encourage leaders to protect what the Niger Delta holds for the next generation.

He addex that Lawuru’s history of service and steady involvement in community work made him a natural choice for the role.

Chief Lawuru welcomed the invitation and spoke warmly about the need for shared responsibility among stakeholders and groups such as the IPF.

He commended the forum for using the media to defend the region’s interests and promised full support for the conference.

Lawuru further urged other stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to lend their weight to efforts that safeguard the environment.