The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has
arrested the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund
Management Board, Mrs. Adefunke Kasali.
She was reportedly picked up on Thursday afternoon at the board’s head office in Abuja. Reasons for her arrest were yet to be disclosed as at the time of filing this report. When our correspondent visited her office, some of the workers were seen lurking around the premises discussing in groups.
A security personnel told one of our correspondents that Kasali had gone for a meeting outside the premises.
The PEFMB is a parastatal of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, established by the PEFMB Act to equalise the cost of transporting petroleum products from the depots to marketers’ sales outlets (filling stations).
It is also to ensure that petroleum products are sold at uniform prices throughout the country.
It was learnt that the PEF boss might have run into trouble as a result of projects being initiated by her agency including the widely publicised Project Aquila, a model put in place to monitor the loading and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
With the project in place, transporters’ claims will be processed on a first-in-first-out basis, and all claims recorded by the system will be forwarded immediately for payment. Again, the marketers account will be credited via e-payment.
The benefits of the project include accurate monitoring of products, consistency and speed reports to meet both internal and external requirements, among others.
The PEFMB had paid over N24bn to petroleum products marketers across the country in the last one year.
Kasali had said, “PEF, as an agency of the Federal Government, is to reimburse marketers and we want to be sure of the claims that are being made. We want to ensure that we make things faster for the marketers so that within two weeks, they will get their money.
The Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that Kasali had been picked up.
He said, “She is with us for interrogation.”
By Sunday Ojeme and Olamilekan Lartey, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
She was reportedly picked up on Thursday afternoon at the board’s head office in Abuja. Reasons for her arrest were yet to be disclosed as at the time of filing this report. When our correspondent visited her office, some of the workers were seen lurking around the premises discussing in groups.
A security personnel told one of our correspondents that Kasali had gone for a meeting outside the premises.
The PEFMB is a parastatal of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, established by the PEFMB Act to equalise the cost of transporting petroleum products from the depots to marketers’ sales outlets (filling stations).
It is also to ensure that petroleum products are sold at uniform prices throughout the country.
It was learnt that the PEF boss might have run into trouble as a result of projects being initiated by her agency including the widely publicised Project Aquila, a model put in place to monitor the loading and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
With the project in place, transporters’ claims will be processed on a first-in-first-out basis, and all claims recorded by the system will be forwarded immediately for payment. Again, the marketers account will be credited via e-payment.
The benefits of the project include accurate monitoring of products, consistency and speed reports to meet both internal and external requirements, among others.
The PEFMB had paid over N24bn to petroleum products marketers across the country in the last one year.
Kasali had said, “PEF, as an agency of the Federal Government, is to reimburse marketers and we want to be sure of the claims that are being made. We want to ensure that we make things faster for the marketers so that within two weeks, they will get their money.
The Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that Kasali had been picked up.
He said, “She is with us for interrogation.”
By Sunday Ojeme and Olamilekan Lartey, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
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