Group urges FG not to fund 2019 elections with $322.5m Abacha’s loot

A non-governmental organisation, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), has called on the Federal Government not to use fund meant for the implementation of Social Investment Programmes to finance the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
David Ugolor, executive director of the group, represented by his deputy, Leo Atakpu, made the call at the commemoration of 2018 International Human Rights Day on Monday in Benin City, with the theme, ‘Stand up for Human Rights.’
He said the social investment programme fund should be protected and deployed fully to the targeted vulnerable citizens and groups, saying, “Corruption affects human rights as well as the capacity of public institutions to fulfil their duty to respect and protect its citizens.”
While putting the debt profile of the country as of June to about $22.083 billion, with 26 percent of the annual budget spent on debt servicing, he noted that the money could have been used to strengthen the health, education and transport sectors of the nation for the sole benefits of her citizens.
“This is a challenge that requires our collective efforts. We need to come out in masses to vote for leaders that would guarantee the fundamental human rights of Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora,” he said.
He, however, enjoined Nigerians as the 2019 general elections drew near to vote for the right candidates that would bring about good governance, transparency and accountability in the leadership of the country.
He also added that there were about 30 human rights declaration that were determined and for the welfare of humans.
Meanwhile, the NGO said it had deployed over 500 personnel to monitor the disbursement of the recovered $322.5 million late Sani Abacha’s loot by the Federal Government to the poorest of the poor in the country.
He said the decision was in line with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) the Federal Government of Nigeria signed with the Swiss government before the money was released.
He made the disclosure on Sunday during a lecture/rally to commemorate the 2018 World Anti-Corruption Day with the theme, ‘Corruption Must not Pay,’ in Benin City.
He said 500 field monitors, 11 supervisors and 22 deputies drawn from members of the Nigerian Network on Stolen Asset (NNAA) and other civil society organisations across the country were to fact check the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) to the poorest of the poor in 11 states who were beneficiaries of the Federal Government Social Investment Programme.
He said the monitors would be interfacing with about 300,000 beneficiaries of the federal empowerment programme in 16 states of the federation to ensure that the monthly N500 get to them direct
Ugolor, who commended the government of Nigeria and Switzerland for ensure that civil society were part of the negotiation for the releasee of the late Sani Abacha loot assured that they will not betray the confidence reposed in them.
The ANEEJ boss who lamented the non-inclusion of Edo and other South-South states, except Cross River State in the programme, noted that the non-inclusion of the states was occasioned by the failure of the various state government to sign into the Nigeria Social Register.
He however appealed to Edo and other state governments in the South-South to sign into the initiative in order not to deprive their citizens from the programme.
In his remark, Ezeh Ansel, second-in-command, Edo/Delta state office of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), called for a collaborative effort among Nigerians in the fight against corruption, saying the cause of corruption was more of greed than poverty.