By OBSERVERS TIMES
The Federal Ministry of Finance has vehemently denied allegations that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Lydia Jafiya, awarded “fraudulent” contracts totaling N13 billion between February and June 2024.
In a statement released on Monday by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga, the claims were described as “unfounded” and “malicious.”
“The Ministry wishes to unequivocally state that at no time were such contracts awarded without due process,” Manga asserted.
He suggested that the allegations were a deliberate attempt to “tarnish the reputation” of both the minister and the permanent secretary. Manga further stated that the accusations were aimed at distracting Nigerians from the ministry’s ongoing efforts to revitalize the economy under President Bola Tinubu’s “renewed hope agenda.”
“The Ministry further wishes to state that all contracts awarded from February to June 2024 including that of the Presidential Initiatives on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi CNG) and by extension other contracts till date were done in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and other relevant laws and regulations,” the statement clarified. “Any insinuation of corruption or irregularities as claimed in the publication is baseless and without merit.”
Reiterating the ministry’s dedication to “transparency and accountability,” Manga urged the media to exercise due diligence by “always cross check all information before going to the press.”
He warned that the ministry “will not hesitate to take legal action against any individual or organization” found to be disseminating false and malicious information.
Manga called on the public to disregard the publication and assured them of the ministry’s unwavering commitment to implementing President Tinubu’s economic reforms aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.
