Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday backed the forfeiture of $31m allegedly belonging to ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
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The union also called on the anti-graft body to probe the sources of wealth of the wife of the formal president, prosecute and confiscate her assets if found culpable of illegal accumulation of wealth.
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who spoke on the sidelines of NLC National Youth Conference in Abuja, however called on the present administration, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to stop buck-passing and evolve realistic policies that would lead the nation out of the present recession.
He stated that the blind looting of the nation’s commonwealth by the political class across party divides was partly responsible for the economic downturn and the inability of state governments to pay workers’ salaries.
The NLC boss said that in other civilized climes, Dame Jonathan would have voluntarily forfeited the money to the state.
While insisting that EFCC must make the ex-First Lady to explain to Nigerians what business she had undertaken to amass such wealth, Wabba urged the anti-graft body to extend the fight against official graft to states and local governments. He said: “We have said it over and over again that NLC is the first organisation that actually supported openly the anti-graft war. We said recover, investigate and prosecute so that it can serve as a deterrent. Our position has been undoubting on the issue of the frozen $31m.
“In this respect, the onus of prove is on the ex-First Lady. First, she must inform all of us the sources of the money. She must explain what business she has done to accumulate such wealth.
“In other climes, people would have forfeited such funds. This is our position and we have always been consistent about it.”
According to him, the inability of some state governors to meet their financial obligations to workers is down to endemic corruption rather than non-availability of resources.
“If you look at it critically, that is why we are where we are today. Salaries are not paid in many states not because the resources are not there, but because of the inherent corruption in the system.
“Corruption fight should also be extended to states and local governments. Wherever there is element of corruption, whoever is involved, the law must take its course.
“There should be investigation. There should be fair trial within the confine of the law and whoever is found wanting, those funds should be recovered and prosecution should follow to serve as a deterrent,” he insisted.
On the way out of the present economic depression, the NLC boss urged the present administration to assume responsibility and proffer workable solutions rather than engaging in buck passing.
Wabba further noted that some of the people in the present regime were part of the previous administrations being held responsible for the present recession.
He said: “In trying to look at the economic challenges currently bedeviling the nation, some of the commentators, including the governors, who were part of the previous administrations, are not ready to take responsibility.
“They take delight in shifting blames. What we are saying is that the issue must be situated within context of those that are in power. It should not be issue of shifting the goal post when the game is almost over. The issue is about taking responsibility and look at how best to address the challenges.”
While urging the youth to begin to take active interest in governance, the NLC boss reminded that they were the worst hit by the current economic downturn.
Citing the International Labour Organisation, ILO’s, recent statistics, he stated that over 70 per cent of Nigerian youths are unemployed.
Explaining the ideas behind the establishment of NLC youth structure, Wabba said the platform would help to galvanise them to take interest on issues that affect them.
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