Waivers Scandal: Finance Ministry Dismisses Report By Controversial Website

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 23, (THEWILL) - The Finance Ministry on Monday dismissed the report of a waivers scandal against the Office of the First Lady by an online media organisation, Sahara Reporters, as outrageous, saying the story is ''a false exclusive based on distorted information.'' 'The story by Sahara Reporters on the so-called waivers scandal in which the notorious news website made outrageous allegations against the Office of the First Lady is a false exclusive based on distorted information,'' the Ministry said in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Paul C Nwabuikwu. The statement said 'The website merely extracted and distorted information on the list of beneficiaries of the revised waivers policy which the Federal Ministry of Finance voluntarily published as part of its drive for transparency and accountability.'' According to the statement, 'The revised waivers policy replaces the old regime of individual waivers with the objective of boosting key sectors such as agriculture, power, gas and mines/steel. The strategy is to deploy waivers as a stronger tool of economic development. 'Part of the information published by the Federal Ministry of Finance was a list of state governments, private sector organisations and other institutions which were granted waivers to bring in vehicles for various events including sports festivals, conferences and workshops. This practice did not begin with the Jonathan administration. 'Beneficiaries of the waivers for vehicle imports include state governments such as Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Lagos as well as organisations such as the continental First Ladies Forum which was granted a waiver for vehicles required for their event hosted by Nigeria. The First Lady did not in any way personally benefit from this waiver. 'It is important to recall the fact that the country has a nascent leasing industry and no company in the sector currently has the quantity and quality of vehicles required for such events. Government is encouraging private sector organisations with the requisite focus and expertise in this area and the hope is that soon it would no longer be necessary to grant such waivers. 'The resort to falsehood by Sahara Reporters based on a distortion of information voluntarily made available by government underscores the desperation of this scurrilous medium and its paymasters. ''