‘’ABC Of The Allegations I Hired Foreign Public Relations Firm For $2m’’ Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun Speaks On Raging Controversy
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Wednesday
denied claims that she hired a foreign public relations firm for the sum of $2m
(N800m).
An online
news portal had reported that she paid the firm, Africa Practice, the sum for
media consultancy services.
But in a
statement issued by the Director of Information in the Finance
ministry, Salisu Dambatta, the minister said the sum of N28.97m for three years
was approved by the Federal Executive Council in November 2016 to enable the
firm work for the Debt Management Office as part of the Eurobond programme.
She said the firm was to work alongside Standard Chartered
Bank, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Citibank, White & Case LLP and Banwo &
Ighodalo.
The statement stated that the contract followed a competitive
tender that was advertised in international and local newspapers, including the
Federal Tenders Journal.
The minister added that due process was followed in the
bidding process, noting that the outcome was publicly announced earlier this
year.
The statement read in part, “The key criteria used in the
evaluation of the technical bids submitted by the appointed transaction
partners, including Africa Practice, were company track record and credentials;
evidence of valid licences to operate in the market or jurisdiction in which
they are domiciled, global presence, and transaction history with the Federal
Government or any of its agencies.
“The representative of Africa Practice was in Washington DC
in continuation of the Eurobond programme, and in support of the country’s
outreach with international investors, who showed great enthusiasm to do
business with Nigeria.
“However, the false story has not dimmed the successful
participation of the Nigerian delegation in the World Bank meetings, nor
questioned the obvious gains made by Nigeria in the course of the meetings.”
Punch
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