Don’t Allow Abacha’s Loot to be Re-Looted – Civil Society Warns FG

The Project Advisor, Civil Society Organisation, Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC), Engr. Ralph Ndigwe, has commended Federal Government’s commitment in tracking and repatriating looted assets of some countries to finance development.

He also hailed the International Community for its support towards achieving the feat.

Speaking on Saturday in Amawbia, Anambra State, during the launch of the Monitoring of recovered Assets in Nigeria through Transparency and Accountability Project, Ndigwe however asked the Federal Government not to allow the recovered $322.5m Abacha loot to be re-looted.

Ndigwe assured his organisation’s preparedness to raise and train local monitors who would monitor the payment of the Conditional Cash Transfer to ensure it got to the appropriate beneficiaries.

“The $322.5m and other recovered funds belong to Nigerians and close monitoring of its usage will guarantee that they remain for Nigerians instead of being re-looted by others.

“CIRDDOC as a monitoring organ in the implementation of MANTRA project in the South- East would ensure that only those meant to benefit from the fund meant for the poorest of the poor were targeted,” he assured.

Also speaking, the Anambra State coordinator of the National Cash Transfer Office, Mr Ralph Enukorah, said no fewer than 7,609 persons were currently benefiting from the programme in the state.

He said the figure was out of the total of 7,615 persons targeted for the programme in the state, expressed optimism on an increase in the figures.

He however regretted the efforts of well to do Nigerians to frustrate the project by disguising themselves to enroll in the programme meant for the poorest of the poor in the state.

The Coordinator also expressed sadness over alleged attack of its staff occasioned by the removal of names of citizens who enrolled to benefit from the programme.

He said, “Some people have been targeted wrongly, and their names enrolled into the programme, after disguised as poor people to collect the money, even though they could afford basic means of livelihood.

“We have been attacked by people in local parts of Anambra State, who entered their names, hoping to benefit from the programme, but were removed when we found out that they did not fall into the category of people targeted to benefit.”

He further listed absence of counter-funding from the state government, accommodation and power supply as major challenges the officials were battling with in course of their assignments.