Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) hereby acknowledges and commends the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) under the
Chairmanship of Mr. Ekpo Nta [image above] for returning about N1 billion Naira being public funds criminally diverted by some corrupt officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Pay Office.
We salute the renewed effort and commitment of ICPC to recover looted public funds and other proceeds arising from criminal activities linked to corruption investigations. In doing so, ICPC is commendably living up to its Mission Statement which is; “To rid Nigeria of corruption through lawful enforcement and preventive measures”.
NLC we will continue to support all the anti graft agencies in their patriotic collective crusade against corruption being one of the cardinal agenda of the President Buhari Administration.
One of the objectives of the Congress’ September 10th March against Corruption and for Good Governance is to encourage best anti-graft practices which is what ICPC is commendably doing.
We call on the relevant Ministries and agencies of government to ensure the recovered looted funds are properly channeled to the activities they are meant for. Indeed the Ministry of Environment in this case must enter into verifiable performance bond with ICPC.
As we have seen with this latest recovered monies, Nigeria and Nigerians are the ultimate loosers whenever corruption succeeds. Conversely all Nigerians are winners whenever corruption is apprehended as in this case.
According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Mrs Nana Fatima Mede, the recovered 1 billion Naira sum was meant for the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative of the Federal Government, designed to assuage the crises faced by over 43 million Nigerians on desertification in 11 northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno; and 43 local government areas which will be covered to rehabilitate 225,000 hectares of land.
The Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative by the government was aimed at managing drought, desertification while ensuring the afforestation of a wide expanse of land currently being ravaged by deserts in the northern part of the country.
The GGW will also empower the people around the desert areas economically with 5,000- direct mass decent jobs (those engaged in tree planting, forest guards, sellers of fruits and vegetables, and watering) and skills acquisition programmes on agriculture as well as permanently put an end to the constant clash between farmers and cattle herders in some parts of the north.
These are the critical benefits which the criminal corrupt officials would have denied the nation if ICPC had not been vigilant.
NLC Will Also Partner With ICPC To Monitor Bail Out Funds
NLC will also partner with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the disbursement and use of the N338billion bailout funds for 27 states that owe their workers legitimate salaries.
The Congress has directed its states councils to serve as whistle blowers on any criminal diversion of bailout funds. We agree with ICPC that the painful days of the public “running after funds after appropriation” are over for the good of all Nigerians including our working members.
The states the NLC is monitoring are those who have benefited from the disbursed N338b bailout funds.
The 27 states are – Abia (N14.152b); Adamawa (N2.378b); Bauchi( N8.60b); Bayelsa (N1.285b); Benue(N28.013b); Borno(N7.680b); Cross River (N7.856b); Delta( N10.036b); Ebonyi(N4.063b); Edo(N3.167b); Ekiti (N9.604b); Enugu (N4.207b); Gombe (N16.459b) and Imo (N26.806b). Others are – Kastina (N3.304b); Kebbi (N0.690b); Kogi (N50.842b); Kwara (N4.320b); Nasarawa (N8.317b ); Niger (N4.306b); Ogun (N20.00b); Ondo (N14.686b); Osun (N34.988b); Oyo( N26.606b ); Plateau (N5.357b); Sokoto (N10.093b) and Zamfara (N10.020b).
Comrade Ayuba Wabba mni
President, NLC