The US mission in Nigeria has distanced itself with revelations which emanated from its Congress that USAID was involved in funding the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Briefing journalists after a meeting with Nigerian Governors on Wednesday in Abuja, Richard M. Mills Jr., US Ambassador to Nigeria, who did not categorically say his country’s aid agency did not sponsor Boko Haram, said the US seeks to end the scourge of the group.
His words, “And so I just want to be clear that when it comes to Boko Haram the United States stands with Nigeria and wants to rid this country of the scourge that organization represents.”
He claimed that the United States has implemented robust policies and procedures to prevent any diversion of its assistance funding to terrorist groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria.
According to him, the measures cover funding from USAID, the Department of Defense, and the State Department.
US Congressman, Scott Perry, had said that the US aid agency funded terrorist organisations, including the insurgents that ravaged Nigeria`s northeast region especially, and some other parts of the country, leaving untold hardship and destruction of lives and property in its trail.
Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” focused on alleged misappropriations of taxpayer funds.
“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry said.
But Amb. Mills who earlier interacted with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) assured that the safeguards are designed to guarantee that US aid, intended to support development and humanitarian initiatives in Nigeria, does not inadvertently end up financing terrorist activities.
“Let me be clear, there’s no friend of Nigeria that has been stronger in its condemnation of the violence of Boko Haram and Boko Haram contempt for human life than the United States.
“We have labeled Boko Haram since 2013 a foreign terrorist organization, a designation that was designed to block Boko Haram from carrying out any asset transfers to United States, and allows us to arrest and seize members of Boko Haram, and allows us to cooperate on investigations with the Nigerian government.
“I can assure you, we have policies and procedures in place to ensure that USAID funding, any of our assistance funding, whether it comes from USAID, the Department of Defense, the State Department, is not diverted to a terrorist group like Boko Haram.
There is absolutely no evidence that I have seen that that has occurred, and certainly if we ever had evidence that a program funding was being diverted to Boko Haram we would immediately investigate along with our Nigerian partners.”
This is as he clarified that a 90-day pause has been implemented by the new administration to review and improve the effectiveness of the assistance.
Recall, the Trump administration had ordered a shutdown of U.S. aid and development work worldwide, dismantling a six-decade-old US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Mills emphasized that no assistance has been cut yet, and no decisions have been made about the future of US assistance to Nigeria.
“Let me clarify one thing. Right now, the new administration has put in a 90 day pause on our assistance. No assistance has been cut yet, no decisions have been made about the future of our assistance.
“In fact, Secretary Rubio has said this is not about ending foreign assistance to our partners and friends like Nigeria. It’s about how to make the assistance more effective and how to make sure that it aligns with US government policies and interests. So that’s what this 90 day pause is for, and our assistance.
“But I think many of you have seen I hope that there are waivers, waivers for our assistance that’s life saving, that provides humanitarian life saving assistance, whether that’s to HIV patients or to mother and child nutrition needs or to internally displaced people. So that that continues, where we’ll be in 90 days, we will know. Thank you very much” he said.
The Ambassador also outlined four key priorities for the coming years, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and promoting development in Nigeria.
According to him, the first priority is to enhance the business environment, fostering increased trade and investment between the US and Nigeria.
He maintained that this move is expected to boost economic growth and create opportunities for businesses on both sides, while the second is fighting corruption promoting transparency, and improving transparency and accountability in Nigeria, with a renewed emphasis on combating corruption.
His words, “The US Embassy will support Nigerian voices advocating for greater transparency and good governance.
“The third priority involves increasing engagement at the state and local levels, working closely with governing authorities to develop programs and assistance that address local needs.
The fourth priority builds on the success of existing healthcare programs, which have contributed significantly to reducing HIV cases and eradicating polio in Nigeria. The US Embassy aims to transition these, ensuring sustainability and continued impact”.
