May 28, 2018

The Federal Government says it has recorded phenomenal achievements in the fight against corruption in the last three years.

The Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known at a news conference in Lagos on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the news conference was organised to give the score card of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the last three years.

He said that the present administration had made the business of corruption tough through a reinvigorated war and a number of initiatives.

Mohammed said that huge amounts of money both in local and foreign currencies were recovered from public officials and tax evaders.

He said that N7.5 billion, 378 million dollars and 27,800 pounds were recovered through the Whistle blower policy, while N13.8 billion was recovered from tax evaders.

The minister said that the Treasury Single Account (TSA) introduced to ensure transparency in revenue remittances from Ministries, Departnents and Agencies (MDA) had recorded a total inflow of N8.9 trillion.

He said a searchlight on corruption in MDAs revealed that that 15 agencies underpaid the government N8.1 trillion between 2010 and 2015.

He, however, said that remittances to government had been improving through efforts at blocking leakages.

“It is noteworthy that MDAs are remitting more money to the Federation Account.

“From remitting only N51 million between 2010 and 2016, JAMB went further to remit N7.8 billion in 2017 and is on course to remit similar amount in 2018,” he said.

He said that government had saved N17 billion through the setting up of an Efficiency Unit to cut over bloated recurrent expenditure.

Mohammed added that the war against corruption was total and that government would remain commitment to it.

On the infrastructure front, the minister said that a number of road, power and rail projects were being undertaken

He listed some of them as the 3,500km narrow gauge railway network, the Abuja light rail and the reconstruction of Abuja Airport runway, adding that some of the projects had been completed and others at various work stages.

He said that the expansion of power grid capacity had increased generation by 50 per cent.

The minister said that the government had improved the economy significantly within the period with lowered inflation rate and increased manufacturing capacities, with export earnings and capital inflow growing.

He said that the Buhari-led administration was committed to a better Nigeria and would continue to do things right.