In an open letter dated February 25th, 2024 addressed to the the CBN Governor and EFCC Chairman, GCSDN claimed that the failure of the Federal Government agency to account for the unspent sum at a time or economic difficulty, leaves much to be desired.
Signed by its Global Coordinator,Comrade Frederick Odorige, the letter reads in part:
“We patiently observe till date,whether the unspent monies from the evacuation of Nigerians from Ukraine have been returned to the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria. At a very difficult economic period in our nation’s history, it has become imperative to raise this issue as it concerns our common resources.”
The coalition recalled that “During the evacuation of Nigerians from the war in Ukraine through Hungary, Romania and Poland, former president Muhammadu Buhari released $8,523,999 (N3,527,065,266.2 at the previous exchange rate of N413.8) for the intervention in 2022. He was informed that the money was needed to evacuate 5,000 Nigerians.
“Based on the Freedom of Information Act, we asked our lawyer to request from the concerned authorities how the fund was spent.”
The group noted however that in responses from NEMA dated 15 August 2022, showed that 1,500 Nigerians were evacuated as of 12 March 2022,stressing that “The cost of evacuation and logistics was $3,546,912.48 (N1,467,712,384.224 at the exchange rate of N413.8), 84,952 euro (N39,320,882.72 at the exchange rate of N462.86) and N36,480,000. The total amount spent, converted in naira, was N1,543,513,266.944).”
Permutations from this according to GCSDN revealed that $4,793,504 was not spent.
The letter further read, “We note that from the expenses made by NEMA which is an agency under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, some disbursements were made which are quite outrageous. They include, but not limited to the following:
“$1,076,156.63 and 84,952 Euros were paid to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign missions. What were such monies spent for? Though the Nigerian embassies in Hungary, Romania and Poland were on ground to give logistics support, the various Nigerian associations and the host countries practically took care of the integration process.
“Why was $82,737.34 paid to the Refugee Commission in Nigeria in the name of logistics? How is the business of that office in Nigeria related to the evacuation of Nigerians from Ukraine?
“How could NEMA have spent N36,480,000 for so-called logistics to evacuate Nigerians in Ukraine when they already claimed that monies have been paid to Nigeria’s foreign missions?
“How could the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development spent $14,318.5 for the same matter of logistics?
“Apart from the $100 given to each of the returnees which was put at $149,700, it means that, from the stated expenditures, the average cost of evacuating each Nigerian from the war in Ukraine at that period was N987,711.60 or $2,380 (based on previous exchange rate). That amount was not in tandem with the facts.”
The group also maintained that during the period, “The highest average cost of a return ticket on economy class, between Hungary, Romania, Poland and Nigeria was $800. If we assume based on prudence, that air fare, logistics and stipends given to the returnees may have amounted to $1,000 each, total expenditures ought to be around $1,500,000.”
It continued, “A figure of 5,000 persons was presented to the Presidency being the number of Nigerians that needed to be evacuated from Ukraine. Since the final number of evacuees was far less than budgeted, there ought to have been a refund of public money.”
It however clarified that the open letter was not meant to accuse anyone of corruption but intended to draw emphasis on the need to champion transparency and accountability.