KEY POINTS
- CISLAC welcomes the repatriation of $52.88 Diezani funds.
- Calls for transparency in the allocation of funds on behalf of Nigerians.
- It warns against mismanagement and also calls for compliance with anti corruption laws.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC has welcomed the repatriation by the United States Government of $52.88 million, recovered from former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison Madueke.
‘We see this as a major achievement in roll back of corruption in the fight against corruption between Nigeria and the United States,’ CISLAC explained in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani.
Furthermore, the money may be used transparently and accountably and the government should see to ensure that the money goes to meaningful projects that improve the lives of Nigerians, Rafsanjani stressed.
Deeper details on fund allocation
The bulk of the recovered money will finance projects for rural electrification through the World Bank, said Rafsanjani, quoting the Minister of Justice. But he wanted specifics on the plan, including which government agencies will be part of it and how much of the money would directly help citizens.
‘Despite the fact the proposed 2025 budget has gargantuan sums for cars and toys that don’t address rampant hunger in the country, this is crucial,’ Rafsanjani said.
He further called on the government to strictly apply Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022, saying the government should be up front about asset recovery from recovered loots and Nigerians put them on the track to see the impact of the funds as a way of ensuring accountability.
Ensuring positive impact
Rafsanjani says Nigerians should see positive and tangible results from the return of stolen assets to regain confidence in the government’s takedown of corruption. Moreover a lack of transparency could stoke suspicions of re-looting, imperilling Mr. Xi’s anti graft campaign, he warned.
“With the lack of transparency in using these funds for Nigerians’ benefit, suspicions of re-looting inevitably arise.” Rafsanjani added: ‘The era devoted to managing lost assets must end.’
It also urged the Federal Government to actively pursue other pending asset recovery cases and to judiciously utilize the proceeds to improve Nigerians’ standard of living.
In addition, CISLAC remains committed to hold the Nigerian government to account on the issue of justice, accountability, and socio-economic development in the country, CISLAC pledged.
