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Hamzat Lawal warns FG to address leakages before accessing $800M World Bank loan

By Guardian Nigeria
14 May 2023   |   9:08 am
The Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development (CODE), Hamzat Lawal, has advised the Nigerian government to close all leakages that could fuel corruption before proceeding with its plans to access a loan from the World Bank worth $800 million. Lawal, a renowned anti-corruption campaigner, made the comment while speaking on Hard Copy, an interview programme…

Hamzat Lawal

The Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development (CODE), Hamzat Lawal, has advised the Nigerian government to close all leakages that could fuel corruption before proceeding with its plans to access a loan from the World Bank worth $800 million.

Lawal, a renowned anti-corruption campaigner, made the comment while speaking on Hard Copy, an interview programme aired on Friday, May 12, on Channels Television.

Lawal also stated that the Nigerian government’s continued fuel subsidy payment is unacceptable and has to end.

His words: “For me, it is about closing these gaps and leakages beyond collecting $800 million. It is only $800 million that we know about, but there are other interventions and loans that government would collect and have been collecting that are not in the public domain.

“So, it is how do we put in place mechanisms that curb corruption and those leakages and these monies won’t end up in personal pockets.”

READ MORE: Buhari seeks Senate approval of additional $800m from World Bank

He further advised that the Open Government Partnership platform can be explored to ensure transparency in government spending.

He said: “We have the Open Government Partnership that brings together civil society, media, and government, and it is being co-chaired by government and civil society.

“It’s just for us to have this robust conversation and even for the government to agree, and then we set a timeline. This is not rocket science. This is public money given to you based on public trust.

“Today, most government data are not public, and most of the ones public, are not measurable. This must change, because, no how good a government policy is, if the Nigerian people don’t buy into it, it will never be successful.”

READ MORE: $800m loan: World Bank urged to adopt digitally validated addresses, identifications

Recall that the Buhari-led administration had announced its plan to secure a World Bank loan to be distributed to about 50 million vulnerable Nigerians or 10 million households as part of its fuel subsidy palliatives measures.

The move had caused outrage nationwide, with many criticising the outgoing government for taking the decision a few weeks before leaving office.

Mallam Lawal added that the National Assembly must call for a public hearing concerning the loan, noting that it will help address all concerns.

On whether the loan is necessary at a time the government is on its way out, Mallam Lawal said:

“Taking a loan is not bad, but what do we do with this loan? People are poor. We have poor people, and it is not their doing that they are poor. And as a government, as people, we must care for these poor people.”

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