By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice ANEEJ, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to put in place an Executive Order on Asset Recovery and Management to boost the asset recovery and management regime in the country .
Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, made this call in Abuja yesterday at the Civil Society statement for the last push for proceeds of crime bill to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice .
Ugolor urged the President to develop a disclosure policy on the utilization of all recovered stolen assets in line with the MOU with the UK/ Swiss Government and Post-GFAR principles.
He said that ANEEJ have been working closely with the Assets Recovery and Management Unit ,ARMU, in the Ministry of Justice in developing policy around the Asset Recovery issue.
“We are in the process of launching the last push for the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill.
” We will like to encourage you to extend our appeal to our President, Muhammadu Buhari to also support the last push for the passage of the POCA bill. On our part, we are reaching out to the National Assembly and board alliance of civil society and the Private Sector for the final push”.
Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Justice Abubakar Malami, while responding said that through their joint efforts, civil society is actively involved in monitoring this process to ensure that it goes on properly and with integrity .
The AGF who was represented by the Director, Assets Recovery and Management Unit , ARMU, Ministry of Justice, Ladidi Mohammed, said Nigerians need to understand that the passing of this bill will put to rest most the questions and loopholes currently being experienced in the area of asset recovery .
Also, the Chairman of Committee on Anti-Corruption, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, said his colleagues and him are committed in giving all the Anti- corruption bills are given special consideration .
The Special Assistant to the President on Financial Matters, Biodun Aikomo ,assured that the Federal Government has put together processes to enact the bill.
He further assured that they will bridge the gap as they will utilise the Information Technology and the E- government to manage and monitor the recovered assets.
