OVER $400 billion has been stolen from the coffers of Nigeria since the country’s independence in 1960 to 1999, the Secretary General of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade John Odah said yesterday.
Comrade Odah disclosed this at a roundtable meeting on “Ethical Conduct of Business-The Role of Labour in the Fight Against Corruption” adding that the former boss of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mal. Nuhu Ribadu recovered $5 billion from corrupt public officers during his tenure.Describing the high rate of corruption in the country as ‘most unfortunate,’ Odah said it has eaten so deep into the system making the citizens accept it as part of the culture.
He advocated the strengthening of the anti corruption bodies so as to reduce corruption to the barest minimum. He said the current Chairperson of the EFCC Mrs. Farida Waziri has advocated for the provision of special courts to try corrupt cases rather than depend on the regular courts that are slow in treating corruption cases that are brought before it.
Speaking at the occasion, Country Representative, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in Nigeria (UNODC) Mrs. Dagmar Thomas said the UN body has supported EFCC by providing equipment, capacity development, sophisticated IT systems and helped them develop a value added training institution which has aided in providing a proper environment for their own operations.
Earlier, the NLC President Abdulwahed Omar, represented by a vice president of the congress Comrade Abdullahi Bungudu, noted that everyone including political leaders is guilty of the corruption crimes.
He said the congress will continue to provide answers to the challenge of corruption until the country’s respect, trust and confidence in the business environment, political process and amongst the people is restored.
On her part, Project Officer, Embassy of the Netherlands, Regina Goijen called for policies that will eradicate poverty in the society.
Source: Daily Trust
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