Troubled APC-NEC in search of peace

by: TONY AKOWE

The stage is set for tomorrow’s meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Party (APC), where leaders are expected to chart a new way forward for the ruling party, following the festering crises triggered by the controversial election of National Assembly’s principal officers, writes TONY AKOWE.

ATTENTION will tomorrow shift to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The ruling party is scheduled to host its first National Executive Council (NEC) meeting since the general elections of March 28 and April 11.

It is expected that the NEC will take far-reaching decisions on the constitution of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and the festering leadership crisis in the Red and Green Chambers of the National Assembly.

Many had expected the party to have held the meeting to constitute the BoT before the May 29 inauguration of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The two bodies would have ironed out critical issues like zoning of offices, especially the leadership positions that plunged the National Assembly into crisis.

According to the APC constitution, the NEC is composed of members of the national executive of the party, zonal leaders, and state chairmen.

Other members of the NEC are: the President, Vice President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, who are party members, Speaker, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who are members of the party, states’ governors, who are members of the party, Majority or Minority Leader, Chief Whips and Deputies in the Senate and House of Representatives, who are members of the party.

They also include two serving senators – elected on the party’s platform – from each of the six geo-political zones. They are to be nominated by the Senators from their zones. Three House of Representatives members – elected on the party’s platform – from each of the six geo-political zones and to be nominated by members from such zone, six ex-Officio members – one each to be elected by the national convention from each of the six geo-political zones, as well as serving chairman, deputy chairman and secretary of the BoT.

Bulk-passing has been the order of the day between the APC leadership and beneficiaries of the controversial elections in both chambers of the National Assembly, on who should be blamed for the crisis.

The leadership is bitter that some APC members in the Senate and House of Representatives, who should be seen to be upholding party supremacy which they preached during electioneering campaigns, relegated the position of the party to the background.

On their own part, the lawmakers felt the National Assembly should be allowed to choose its leaders.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, who is being accused of refusing to read a letter written by National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun on APC’s preferences for principal offices, on the floor of the Senate, has explained that he got the memo after the zonal caucuses had filled the positions.

But he was contradicted by Bala Ibn-Na’Allah, Deputy Leader of the Senate, who said only a letter written by the President could have been read on the floor of the National Assembly and not a memo from a party chairman.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who has not named the principal officers, blamed the delay on pending court cases.

However, critics have been blaming the party leadership for the avoidable crisis. They argue that the initial insistence by the party not to zone the offices and President Buhari’s stance not to interfere in the selection process, were responsible for the crisis.

The national caucus of the party was said to have jettisoned the initial zoning arrangement designed by a committee put in place by the National Working Committee (NWC).   The committee had zoned the Senate Presidency to the Northcentral.

But some party leaders, including senators from the Northcentral zone, held tenaciously to the arrangement.

Those holding the leadership responsible for the crisis have called for the stepping down of the National Chairman, who they alleged, mismanaged the situation.

To some others, Chief Oyegun and his team could not have done anything better than what they did, trying to uphold party supremacy?

It is expected that the handling of the situation will feature prominently at tomorrow’s NEC meeting.

 In an attempt to address the problem created by the emergence of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and Speaker and also placate its loyal members, the party had forwarded the letters to the National Assembly leadership, nominating principal officers for both houses.

The party may have been pressured by some of its governors to take such a decision with a view to bringing the crisis to an end.

There have been allegations that some governors, elected on the APC platform, decided to wade into the cisis, because of their concern and desire for intra-party peace.

Governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna),  Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Abubuakar Badaru (Jigawa),  were said to have moved to placate some powers-that-be in the party, who felt slighted by the emergence of Saraki and Dogara.

They were said to have relocated after their meeting with President Buhari to the party’s national secretariat to inform the leadership of their resolve to intervene.

But their intervention achieved little or nothing as the Senate President again defiled the party and went ahead to name his preferred candidates for the principal offices against the suggestion of the party

An attempt by the Speaker to follow Saraki’s footpath was violently thwarted by members of the House of Representatives, who turned the hallowed chamber to a boxing/wrestling ring.  Saraki insisted that the officers he announced were the choices of caucuses from the various zones. Speaker Dogara argued that the House must respect the principles of federal character as contained in the constitution.

The letter from the party may be in conflict with the constitution. In line with the Federal Character principles as enshrined in the constitution, the Northcentral ought not to produce any other principal officer in the Senate, having produced the president. But the party ceded the position of a Deputy Senate Leader to the zone by nominating Senator George Akume for the position, while leaving out the Southsouth in the sharing of positions in the senate.

The party also gave the Chief Whip slot to Mohammed Mongunu, from the Northeast, which had produced the Speaker.

The Northcentral was completely missing in the power sharing arrangement in the House.

The letters preferred Senator Ahmed Lawal from Northeast as the Majority Leader, Senator Sola Adeyeye (Southwest) as the Chief Whip, Senator George Akume from Northcentral as the Deputy Majority and Senator Abu Ibrahim as the Deputy Deputy Chief Whip.

Similarly, in the House of Representatives, the party demanded the announcement of Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State in the Southwest Zone as House Leader; Alhassan Ado Doguwa from Northwest State as Deputy Leader; Mohammed Monguno from the Northeast as Chief Whip and Pally Iriase from Edo State in the Southsouth as Deputy Chief Whip.

Since the crisis began, Chief Odigie Oyegun has consistently told the world that it was another phase in the development process of the party, adding that they will come of it stronger and more united.

He believes that despite what has happened, the party will not allow the predictions of those who see nothing good in the ruling to come to pass and therefore would do everything possible to prevent the escalation of the crisis.

Odigie-Oyegun was quoted as saying that the crisis is “an unfortunate thing and I think it has arisen because of major interest groups within the party and that has given rise to gross disloyalty and an unacceptable level of indiscipline and disrespect to the party.

“But that notwithstanding, we are doing everything we can to stop this civil war and bring the party back again so that we can focus on our essential agenda of delivering service to the people. What is happening now is very unacceptable and painting us in a bad light.

“But thank God we have this period of recess in the National Assembly to bring things back together again. We are doing everything we can to ensure that by the time the national assembly reconvenes, all of these things would have been squarely behind us.”

He has also been accused of being financially induced by some party leaders to conduct the mock elections that threw up Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila.

Reacting to that, Oyegun said:  “Gratification to do what and for whom? And what have I done to justify that gratification except to stand as neutral as possible in the circumstance and emphasise adherence to the supremacy of the party.

“So, that is it. Gratification for what? Let anybody who says he brought come out and say that. It is a public thing. It is my integrity they are trying to smear. That comes only through blackmail from some forces that feel that I am standing in the way for whatever their intentions are.

But that is neither here nor there. What’s important is that we must put our party back together again and focus on the promises we have made to the Nigerian people.”

The national chairmen said he was unaware the calls for his resignation.

His words: “People are trying to push me in one direction or the other but one thing I have to my credit is my neutrality. I don’t belong to any of the contending power blocs in the party. And of course, that has its price.

“And that is why you have heard a lot of it directed personally to smear me. I have built a reputation that has lasted for over 70 years. I don’t have to go and be taking peanuts from some political gladiators. So, whatever they try to do, they cannot smear my character. If anybody has given me gratification to do anything, let him come out and say so, state where, when and how much.”

Some political watchers have traced the crisis the battle for the sole of the party ahead of the next general elections in 2019. This school of thought sees a clear fight for the control of the party among notable leaders of the party.

Besides, they see Saraki as taking advantage of his position as the Senate President to create his own power bloc within the party and oil his presidential ambition in 2019.

He reportedly defended the ‘coup’ that produced him as the Senate President when he described his backing out of the presidential race ahead of the party’s primary as a great sacrifice.

Saraki, who, was edged out of the presidential race in 2011 by the decision of Northern elders to field one candidate from the region against former President Goodluck Jonathan, has since dismissed the 2019 ambition as a mere speculation.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who contested with Jonathan for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket at the primary, has also denied trying to hijack the APC.

Today’s NEC meeting is expected to be stormy and its outcome will no doubt dictate the shape of things to come for the party and by extension, the nation at large in the coming months.

INEC Chair: Buhari defends choice of Zakari, lambasts PDP

 

President Muhammadu Buhari

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his choice of Amina Zakari as the acting chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after the opposition Peoples Democratic Party demanded a reversal of the appointment.
The PDP had said that the appointment smacked of nepotism and accused Mrs. Zakari of demonstrating bias towards the APC in the past.
The party also said due process was not followed in her appointment by Mr. Buhari.
A statement from the presidency Wednesday dismissed the allegations by the PDP.
Mr. Buhari said he had constitutional powers to choose the head of INEC, and that Mrs. Zakari’s appointment was based on merit and sensitivity to gender equality.
The statement, signed by spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said allegations by the PDP were “falsehoods contrived by Mr. Metuh (PDP spokesperson) to unjustly denigrate a President popularly elected by Nigerians to undo the damage done to the nation by years of PDP rule”.
Full statement:
We have noted with regret, the latest tirade against President Muhammadu Buhari issued today by the PDP’s Spokesman, Mr Olisa Metuh.
Other than boring reporters at his press conference with a rehash of baseless allegations of inaction against the President, Mr Metuh clearly had nothing new to say apart from his charge of nepotism and partisanship in the appointment of the Acting INEC Chairman, which also lacks any factual foundation.
President Buhari certainly did not “overrule” Prof. Attahiru Jega in appointing Mrs Amina Zakari as the Acting INEC Chairman, as Mr Metuh alleged.
Prof. Jega’s purported handing over to another Commissioner cannot be construed as an “appointment” because only the President has the constitutional authority, which he exercised to appoint Mrs Zakari as acting Chairman of INEC.
Contrary to Mr Metuh’s allegations, President Buhari’s appointment of Mrs Zakari as Acting INEC Chariman was based entirely on merit, her vast experience in the internal operations of INEC and the President’s commitment to affirmative action in support of gender equality, because, apart from being fully qualified for the position, Mrs Zakari was the only woman among the six Commissioners considered.
Due Process was certainly followed in Mrs Zakari’s appointment. Mr Metuh’s spurious claims of her appointment having been influenced by “personal relationship with the Presidency” and a Governor in the North-West “to pave the way for the APC” at election tribunals should be disregarded by the public.
The allegations are nothing but falsehoods contrived by Mr Metuh to unjustly denigrate a President popularly elected by Nigerians to undo the damage done to the nation by years of PDP rule.
His claim that the PDP has rejected Mrs Zakari’s appointment is also laughable after he had admitted that the right and power of the President to make such appointments cannot be questioned.

Yemi Osinbajo, Another "Tunde Idiagbon" For PMB

Hussain Obaro


Editor’s note: “Tunde Idiagbonwas was Buhari’s backbone and the pushing force. Buhari never made any decision without Idiagbon’s approval,” claims Hussain Obaro, Naij.com constant guest author. In another contribution to the platform, Mr Obaro explains why it is so important that Yemi Osinbajo assumes Tunde Idiagbonwas’s role as soon as possible.


It’s no longer news that the main reasons Nigerians voted en masse for Muhammadu Buhari in the last presidential election were his firm stand towards corruption and no-nonsense disposition to all forms of indiscipline and administrative recklessness. Analysts have, however, opined that it was the late Major General Tunde Idiagbon who stood behind the war against corruption and indiscipline that Buhari had been given credit for. He was Buhari’s backbone and the pushing force. Buhari never made any decision without Idiagbon’s approval. The description of President Buhari as a lame duck with a sound assistant during the military regime was proved right by the events that unfolded after the inauguration of the present APC-led administration.
A clear evidence that General Tunde Idiagbon was the real head of state is what is currently happening in our national polity. Just like former president Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari seems overwhelmed and confused by Nigerians’ problems. It is now over a month since President Buhari was sworn in, and nothing has happened. Governance has virtually been brought to halt. No key decisions or major appointments have been made. I wonder how President Buhari intends to fight the “wars” without a cabinet of ministers who are supposed to be his foot soldiers directly implementing his policies and programs?
READ ALSO: Three Weeks Have Passed, Any Ministerial Appointments, Mr President?
 


The fact that President Buhari may have no idea of what governance is all about and how to be a responsive leader is evident as far as he has refused to assume responsibility for the APC. It has resulted into a breakdown of law and order in the National Assembly causing huge embarrassment to the country in the eyes of the international community. The plans of a self-serving cabal in the APC to install their cronies as leaders of the National Assembly, even against the existing laws and the Constitution, are already sending wrong signals to Nigerians and the friends of Nigeria.
The much quoted and celebrated phrase from the president’s inaugural speech “I belong to everyone, and I belong to no one” turned out to be a mere political statement not to be taken seriously. Buhari is still being tossed around and forced to align with the decisions of the cabal in the APC. Obviously, governance is already grounded, because Buhari doesn’t yet have an “Idiagbon” to guide him. Muhammadu Buhari has failed to realize that to be president is to take full responsibility of everything including the party, especially now when some of the APC leaders are portraying themselves as a bunch of power-drunk, self-serving and autocratic cabal. The president should have prevented this mess from the beginning by assuming leadership in the party and personally ensuring the party discipline by accommodating diverse opinions, pacifying diverse interests and giving all sides a sense of belonging. These would have botched the activities of the cabal that has hijacked the party and currently make orders from their Lagos abode.
The time is ripe for the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, to break from the grip of this APC cabal and step out of the political shade. The onus now rests on him to act fast in order to salvage the APC administration from collapse. Prof Yemi Osinbajo needs to become a “Tunde Idiagbon” who will always guide the president and Nigerians to the Promised Land. There is the need for the vice president to genuinely belong to everyone and belong to no one as his expertise in law, science and clergy is highly needed to bring this government back on track and ensure that change is delivered to Nigerians.
Yemi Osinbajo, Another "Tunde Idiagbon" For PMB
Hussain Obaro for Naij.com

Hussain Obaro is a writer motivational speaker and public affairs commentator from Ilorin, Kwara state.

Amina Bala Zakari appointed as acting Chairman of INEC.

INEC National Commissioner, Amina Bala Zakari has been chosen to take the place of the Chairman.

Reports say that INEC National Commissioner, Amina Bala Zakari has been appointed to take the place of Professor Attahiru Jega whose tenure in office as INEC Chairman expired today.


Amina Bala Zakari was born on June 23, 1960

2.She is from the Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State

3.She attended the prestigious Queens College in Yaba, Lagos.

4.She earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Pharmacy from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1980.

5.She was appointed a National Commissioner of INEC in 2010

Only Buhari’s letter, not Oyegun’s, can be read in Senate – Na’Allah

Premium Times

 

Buhari writes Senate, seeks approval to a

The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Bala Ibn-Na’Allah, says only a letter from the president of Nigeria can be read on the floor of the Senate or the House of Representatives.
Mr. Na’Allah told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that it was the reason the purported letter written by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to the National Assembly was not and will not be read at plenary.
“A lot of people do not understand; as a member of the National Assembly, the moment you step into the National Assembly, you either take the Bible or the Quran; and then you subscribe to the oath of allegiance and then take your oath of office.
“The oath of office says that you will uphold, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Law and then the Rules of the Senate.
“Outside these three documents, (a) senator does not have any leverage to do anything; there is no other document outside these three.
“And then if you carefully look at the rules of the Senate, the only letters that can be read on the floor of the House should a letter from Mr. President.
“And that is the convention not only in Nigeria, but in all other parliaments all over the world”.
He stressed the need for Nigerians to understand the workings of democracy before making attributions unknown in democratic circles.
Mr. Na’Allah, however, said that the party could influence its members in the National Assembly and at the state level through the various caucuses, but not by imposition.
“I have not seen any issue here; it is just that people are trying to overheat the polity without knowing what the process is all about”.

EXCLUSIVE: Joda Committee to Buhari: Merge debt-ridden Arik, Aero, others to form national carrier

Bassey Udo

President Muhammadu Buhari on Day One at Presidential Villa

The Buhari administration may be considering merging all debtor airlines in the country into a national carrier, capable of serving the West and Central African regions, with Nigeria as the regional aviation hub.
That is part of the recommendations by the Ahmed Joda transition committee, which submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari about two weeks ago. Volumes of the report were exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.
Six of Nigeria’s leading domestic airlines are currently bogged down by huge debts totalling almost N130 billion, forcing them to turn to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for a lifeline.
In 2014, the Federal Ministry of Aviation gave the debt portfolio of five of the airlines with AMCON at over N190 billion. The amount excluded sundry debts to aviation agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), suppliers and other institutions.
The ministry said it arrived at the huge figure after a comprehensive audit of the operations of all the domestic airlines.
Details of the audit findings, the Ministry said, showed Aero Contractors’ debt stood at over $200 mn (N308 bn), with 60% of its equity already taken over by AMCON, while Arik Air has been in debt to the tune of over $600 mn (N924 bn); IRS Airlines, $55 mn (N84 bn); Chanchangi Airlines, $55 mn (N84 bn), and the now bankrupt Air Nigeria owing about $225.8 mn (N347.7 bn).
In 2012, Arik, Aero, IRS, Bellview, Chanchangi, Afrijet, Albarka, Caverton, Continental, Air Nigeria and Savannah, were at the verge of going under when AMCON waded in with a N132billion lifeline, saving in the process over 7,000 staff from being thrown into the labour market.
Aviation industry experts told PREMIUM TIMES at the weekend that some of the airlines that were still grappling with working capital challenges recently approached AMCON again with a multi-billion request for a bailout to enable them settle accumulated aviation fuel bills to oil marketers.
The Joda committee advised President Buhari to consider a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement that would involve all airlines currently with AMCON, as part of the Federal Government’s contribution to a national carrier project.
The committee recommended the decision be carried out in six months.
The committee said this will increase government revenue from the sector, reduce capital flight, expand the local aviation industry and create more employment opportunities to the people.
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the report said, should work with the Ministries of Aviation, Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment to implement an aviation-focused PPP framework that would create the environment for the development of aviation infrastructure, procurement and upgrade.
The committee, which noted poor utilization as one of the key challenges in the sector, said about 75 percent of passenger traffic were generated from three airports – Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, while over 90 percent of the revenue earned came from Lagos and Abuja.
To ensure a realistic capital base for domestic and international airlines for sustainability in accordance with global best practices, the committee said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should in the next three months consider the upward review of capital requirements for airlines to N2.5 bn (domestic) and N 5billion (International).
Within the target period, the government would undertake the immediate repairs and upgrade of passenger facilities, including air-conditioning systems, luggage conveyor belts, passenger tunnels, to improve customer experience, increase revenue, and improve the safety of travelers, it said

EXCLUSIVE: Joda Committee to Buhari: Sack Jonathan's last minutes appointees, review contracts of 18 months.

Ini Ekott

Chairman of Transition Committtee, Dr Ahmed Joda, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice Chairman Doyin Salami, APC Nartional Chairman Chief John Oyegun during the final presentation of report of Transition committee to the President at the defence house in Abuja

 

The hmed Joda transition committee has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately terminate all dubious appointments made by former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last nine months, and review all contracts awarded by the administration in the last 18 months.
The committee said this is to help the new government sidestep ineptitude and waste, and scale up its revenue base.
The recommendations are part of a portfolio of swift steps Mr. Buhari must take within three months of assumption of power if he must save cost and “enhance liquidity”, the committee said in its 800-page report to the president.
PREMIUM TIMES exclusively obtained volumes of the report, which contain extensive analyses of Nigeria’s key challenges, with suggested responses for the economy and finance, governance and social welfare.
The report details a list of prompt, medium and long term decisions Mr. Buhari must take, or authorise, within 30, 45, 60 and 90 days of taking office, to create immediate impact, reduce government liability, increase revenue and stabilise the polity.
For instance, to deal with crippling fuel crisis, and backlog of unpaid salaries by states and the federal government, the committee advised Mr. Buhari to “borrow immediately or use CBN (Central Bank) advances” for salaries and fuel subsidies to “avoid chaos”.
For contracts, it urged the administration to “review all contracts signed in the last 18 months by FGN”.
“Non-strategic contracts that have not commenced or where no payments have been made can be cancelled,” the committee said, while also urging Mr. Buhari to negotiate exits for projects where mobilisation payments have been made but work not commenced.
That move will “save expenditure on non-strategic projects, and can free up cash flows for other vital initiatives”, the committee said.
The decision on contract is to be taken within 90 days from May 29, and should be handled by the Federal Executive Council and the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.
At a time Mr. Buhari is facing growing criticism over his delay in making key appointments, and his failure to lay out initiatives to assure a burdened nation of immediate relief, the Joda report provides a fresh perspective on preparations by the new government and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to confront some of Nigeria’s monstrous problems.
The committee said the president should review all appointments made by Mr. Jonathan in the last nine months, and “for strategic agencies requiring professional leadership, the government should terminate all appointments not based on merit”.
The Joda panel said such move will save costs associated with poor decision making by an incompetent management team, and must be delivered within 45 days of the new government.
That recommendation appears to take into consideration the last minute appointments by Mr. Jonathan after he lost the March 28 elections.
In less than two months, Mr. Jonathan, not previously given to readily hiring and firing, sacked dozens of top officials and replaced them before leaving office.
As further measures to check waste and increase efficiency and accountability, the committee urged the government to quickly implement a single bank account, to be called Treasury Single Account, and to commence full implementation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act within 60 days, and chase up any outstanding funds from all government offices.
This will curtail the “excesses carried forward from previous administration”, it noted.
The committee also advised the government to fully implement the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, and Integrated Government Integrated Financial Management Information System across all MDAs within 60 days.
The two facilities were used by the past government to check thousands of “ghost workers” who drew billions of naira in salaries that ended in the pocket of fraudulent officials.
Despite its claim of saving more than N100 billion from “ghost workers”, the Jonathan administration failed to punish those behind the scam.
Claims by former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the case had been transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alongside names of indicted officials, were repeatedly refuted by the anti-graft body.
But more than other proposals in that unit of the report, the committee paid greater attention to government contracts and urged President Buhari to be decisive in reviewing the deals.
The committee said the handover notes from the Jonathan administration showed aggregate contractor liabilities of N4 trillion as at April 2015.
Of that amount, the Ministry of Education owed the most at N1.2 trillion, followed by the finance ministry which has N467.7 billion.
The committee warned Mr. Buhari that it would be irrational to rely on the purported huge balances the former government claimed it left behind.
First, it said, the numbers lacked key information to establish the authenticity of the contracts.
It made the following observation regarding the claims by the former government regarding outstanding liabilities:
– The aging of these liabilities was not provided.
– A detailed list of contracts was not provided and therefore, some balances maybe double counted (eg contracts funded through debt maybe captured in both MoF and the contracting Ministry).
– Some balances may be disputed. Therefore, liabilities may change once settlement/judgement is reached.
– No documentation was provided to confirm if the projects were executed to the agreed specifications.
– Some contracts maybe cancelled or terminated”.
As a first step, the Joda-committee advised Mr. Buhari to establish an Inter-Ministerial Task-Force to review all outstanding contracts (and associated liabilities) across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies within three months.
“The mandate of this Task-Force is to confirm the existence of the liability and authenticate the accuracy of information provided in the handover notes,” it said.
“The Government should only recognise the liabilities verified and confirmed by this Task-Force.”