TUC wants government to spend Abacha loot on development projects

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected plans by the Federal Government to share the $322 million recovered Abacha loot to the poorest of the poor citizens.

A statement signed by the TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, noted that the Federal Government has failed to reveal what it has used the money recovered so far for under its anti-corruption fight.

The Federal Government through the Special Assistant to the President on Judicial Reform, Juliet Ibekaku Nwagwu in Abuja at the inception meeting of the Monitoring Recovered Asset through Transparency and Accountability (MANTRA) to share Abacha loot to the poorest of the poor citizens due to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Swiss government and network of civil societies.

TUC also faulted the Federal Government for drawing money from other sources to fund the Social Investment Programme of the government — an APC initiative and promises made during 2015 electioneering campaigns – is not tenable.

It said those sources equally belong to the citizens’ common patrimony.

Its words: “On this particular one we say no to share of loot. Government must tie the money to projects. This remains the only way it would have a significant impact on poverty alleviation and overall development of the country.

“We are a people deficient in everything that make life comfortable and worth living. We lack the basic things of life such as roads, modern rail system, hospitals and power, to mention a few. Our education has collapsed. The technical schools have gone into extinction likewise science and technology.”

“Our population and landmass should be an advantage. Unfortunately there hadn’t been creative thinking on the part of the leadership. We expect the authorities to do the right thing and stop creating wrong impressions. Repatriated funds should be transparently and accountably spent.”