* Congratulates Nigerians On Anti-Corruption Day
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CelestineOkaf11
As the world marks this year's Africa Anti-Corruption Day, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International (TI) Nigeria, have charged the Anti-graft agencies and the law enforcement bodies in Nigeria to do more in the area of tackling corruption in the country.
CISLAC and TI Nigeria also felicitates with Nigerians and Africans as the continent celebrates the Anti-Corruption Day.
According to a statement on Monday, July 11, 2022 by the Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International (TI) Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, this year’s celebration is the sixth edition, with a theme: “Strategies and Mechanisms for the Transparent Management of Covid-19 Funds”.
He said CISLAC will like to remind the Nigerian government of the need to be transparent on its expenditures. Rasfanjani said a good example of transparency is the lingering fuel scarcity which has lasted for several months now. He said this is despite the huge sums of money set aside for subsidy payments. "Citizens struggle to understand how trillions are budgeted for fuel subsidy", the CISLAC boss said.
Comrade Rasfanjani also stated that this year’s celebration is a good time to remind INEC, anti-graft agencies and law enforcement agencies of their role in enabling a free and fair elections devoid of dirty money and vote trading.
"As the highest Illicit Financial Flow (IFF) offender on the African continent with an estimated sum of $18billion USD according to the African Union High Level panel on IFF led by Thabo Mbeki, existing laws around money laundering and political party financing in Nigeria should be adhered to so that politicians don’t use ill gotten wealth to get into power", Rasfanjani explains.
He further added that CISLAC will also "use this opportunity to remind the current government that citizens are keenly watching events around the office of the Accountant General of the Federation. With 3 different individuals acting in that capacity in less than 2 months, and the numerous allegations against the previous two, citizens demand answers and the government should not sweep the matter under the carpet.
"There is also a need to investigate the deteriorating security situation bedevilling the country, the latest which is the Kuje prison break. Recent discoveries of huge sums in the residence of military contractors needs to be investigated to its logical conclusion. Funds meant for securing the lives and properties of Nigerians shouldn’t be diverted".
Comrade Rasfanjani however stated that CISLAC and TI Nigeria "would like to call on the anti-graft agencies to be very professional in their actions. Rather than seek media trial and sensational reporting, they should endeavour to do their assignments thoroughly so that state resources are conserved". NNL.
