Haliru Mohammed Bello
Encyclopedia
Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello (born 9 October 1945) was appointed Nigeria
n minister of Communications in June 2001 in a minor reshuffle of the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo, replacing Mohammed Arzika
.
He was appointed at a time when the government was planning to privatise Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL
).
In September 2002 Bello announced that 400,000 lines were being installed to expend NITEL's GSM network in the North-west zone.
In May 2003 Bello approved revised regulations for interconnection between telephone companies designed to foster competition.
AG.
Bello was alleged to have collected €70,000 in two installments, a charge that he denied.
In total, the court found that Siemens had paid out €12 million in bribes to obtain contracts in Nigeria and other countries, and fined the company €201 million.
In November 2007 the German authorities provided fresh information on the Siemens bribery scandal.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) launched an investigation.
President Umaru Yar'Adua said of the case "... there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law".
In August 2008, Bello received the Diamond Nigerian Telecoms Award at a ceremony in Lagos
.
In January 2010 another scandal emerged over a N5 billion contract for supply of equipment to (M-tel), a subsidiary of NITEL.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) launched an investigation. In 2002 Bello had looked into complaints by Ericsson
over the conduct of Motorola
in trying to win a contract, and on the basis of his findings the contract was awarded to Ericsson. Bello was not accused of wrongdoing in this case.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n minister of Communications in June 2001 in a minor reshuffle of the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo, replacing Mohammed Arzika
Mohammed Arzika
Mohammed Arzika was appointed Nigerian Minister of Communications from June 1999 to June 2001 in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo.-Background:...
.
He was appointed at a time when the government was planning to privatise Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL
NITEL
Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, or NITEL, is the principal telecommunications company in Nigeria, and was owned by the government of Nigeria until it was sold to Mtel by the Bureau of Public Enterprises...
).
Minister of Communications
In December 2001, Bello said that the regulator had been mistaken in revalidating the analog mobile licence granted to MTS First Mobile, which could interfere with plans for the nation's GSM network. He said the government was instead encouraging MTS to go into fixed and rural telephony.In September 2002 Bello announced that 400,000 lines were being installed to expend NITEL's GSM network in the North-west zone.
In May 2003 Bello approved revised regulations for interconnection between telephone companies designed to foster competition.
Later career
In 2007 a German court allegedly named several prominent Nigerians, including Bello, in a bribery scandal involving communications firm SiemensSiemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
AG.
Bello was alleged to have collected €70,000 in two installments, a charge that he denied.
In total, the court found that Siemens had paid out €12 million in bribes to obtain contracts in Nigeria and other countries, and fined the company €201 million.
In November 2007 the German authorities provided fresh information on the Siemens bribery scandal.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) launched an investigation.
President Umaru Yar'Adua said of the case "... there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law".
In August 2008, Bello received the Diamond Nigerian Telecoms Award at a ceremony in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
.
In January 2010 another scandal emerged over a N5 billion contract for supply of equipment to (M-tel), a subsidiary of NITEL.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
(EFCC) launched an investigation. In 2002 Bello had looked into complaints by Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
over the conduct of Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
in trying to win a contract, and on the basis of his findings the contract was awarded to Ericsson. Bello was not accused of wrongdoing in this case.