This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
April 2, 2003
Posted to the web April 2, 2003
Lagos

As the imbroglio on the oil deal between the Gambian top government
officials and the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and its
partners continue, Isichei Osamgbi writes that the new Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission seams to have its first job at hand

The Nigeria, Gambia oil scam has now taken a new twist, with the newly
established Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, set up to curb
economic and financial atrocities against the country, now set to have its
first assignment.

Further findings by THISDAY on the shady oil deal in which the Gambian
government had been carting away petroleum products and illegally diverting
them rather than agreed consumption in that country, reveal that the matter
is to be tabled before the commission as it first case, which would
definitely reveal other such deals in the nation's main petroleum products
supply and distribution company, the Pipelines and Petroleum Marketing
Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).

Earth Resources Management Agency Limited, an Abuja based business
development and natural resources consulting company, the initiators and the
officially appointed and acknowledged Gambian Government Facilitator and
Collaborator on the Fuel Oils Export Concession between the Gambia and the
Federal Government of Nigeria as represented by NNPC, has threatened to take
its case to recover its financial entitlements from the Gambian government
to the Economic and Financial Malpractices Commission for services rendered
through the fuel export concession in 2002.

With the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Bill of 2002 assented into
law by President Olusegun Obasanjo, on December 14, 2002, leading to the
establishment of the commissions, there is every indication that the
commission charged with the responsibility for the investigation and
enforcement of all economic and financial crimes under any law or
regulations relating to economic and financial crimes in Nigeria including
the Miscellaneous Offences Act, may be the first to wade into the matter.

The crimes commission which is also empowered to relate with various
government ministries, agencies and security services in the discharge of
its functions and to enforce same in the Nigerian high courts and/or federal
high court, may however face an uphill task over how to get the Gambian
government to return the already diverted products..

In a copy of the a petition received by THISDAY and copied to various
security services and law enforcement agencies including (Interpol), the
chief executives of government agencies, the legislature and media, The
Gambia is accused by Earth Resources Management Agency Limited of being a
conspirator and a willing vehicle in an attempt to fraudulently hoodwink the
Federal Government of Nigeria in an oil scam which would lead to the
diversion of an unauthorised thousands of metric tonnes of petroleum
products from Nigerian for personal gain and the intention to deprive the
Nigerian people, access to large quantities of petrol and kerosine, in the
face of perennial scarcity.

As a follow up of our last week story, we have uncovered the intentions of
officials of the Gambian High Commission and the Yahya Jammeh-led government
to cover up the deal and have been busy shuttling between Banjul and Abuja,
while dodging interviews with THISDAY on the matter.

Currently, diverse dimensions, complete with its characteristic hydra headed
intrigues and conspiracies Earth Resources Management Agency Limited
official, who spoke with THSIDAY still maintained that after they had
successfully secured the fuel oil export concessions, they were
unscrupulously replaced by The Gambian government with another Nigerian firm
and denied them legitimate fees/expenses through a cabal appointed by the
Gambian government and in connivance with Nigerian principals/accessories
involved in the operation of a contrived supply of refined products.

With the Economic and Financial Commission recently established by President
Olusegun Obasanjo as part of his anti-corruption campaign to curb offences
against the nation's economy including international financial fraud of
different dimensions, once again, the true anti-corruption drive of the
President is being called to question.

Acting on the advice of Ahmadou Samba and Edrissa Jobe, Gambian government's
consultants to the oil business. The Gambia as represented by a Nigerian
company entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) dated October 4,
with the NNPC 2002. The Petition alleges that The Gambia signed an operating
and export concession which is at variance in volume and configuration with
that requested by the President of Gambia. Who participated in the
development and implementation of the excesses, variations and increases?
Who approved them?

In his request letter of May 24, 2002, The Gambian President stated that a
crude oil refining capacity for 20,000 barrels/day - and as a result of
"Shorfall", he therefore states (requests) that he requires a monthly
commercial purchase of, (1) CRUDE - 20,000 B/D (No refining capacity
whatsoever), (2) AGO - 10,000mt (120,000MT/PA), (3) PMS - 3,000mt
(36,000MT/PA) and (4) HFO - 5,000mt (60,000MT/PA), at a total of 216,000mt
per annum in above configuration (less crude oil).

With the matter referred to NNPC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs by
President Obasanjo, and the MOU ready but no nomination by Gambia of
operator of concession. The Gambians had started showing their intentions to
do shady deal by not nominating their original facilitator/collaborator as
operator.

However Sahara Energy Resources limited, a prominent oil firm in Nigeria
which was nominated instead of the initial facilitators appointed to work on
the project by the Gambian government, has told THISDAY that they are
oblivious of any shady deal in the contract as they were only contacted as
one of the leading oil firms around to facilitate the deployment of the
products to The Gambia, for which they had been playing a part.

According to a top official of the firm and a contract facilitator and Head
of the West African Desk, who spoke with THSIDAY, Mr. Wale Ajibade, the
company had been playing its role legitimately and had not lifted more
products since the last consignment, while the only consignment they claim
to have obtained went straight to The Gambian electricity firm.

However, questions are still being asked as to the eventual destinations of
the other products, when they were delivered, proof of supply to Gambia and
evidence of port charges payments in Nigeria and Gambia, or any bank draft
payment or documentation in favour of any government agencies.

Equally, as stated in sections 1.2 & 1.3 of the MOU as against the Gambian
presidential request, is 360,000mt Gambia's true consumption rate as
compared to what President Jammeh wrote?

Again, further evidence has shown that the dual purpose kerosine (DPK) was
not requested for, but given and exported at the expense of Nigerians who
endure long queues for the product. PMS inflation in award as against
request. Who stands to gain? It is time for the Presidency to take further
actions to ensure that there is a collaboration of all security services,
law enforcement agencies including, Interpol to assist the new commission in
the investigation and the hearing of the matter, so that all parties could
clear themselves and the culprits brought to book.




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