Use recovered N1trn, forfeited properties for infrastructure, social amenities —TUC tells FG

THE Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on the Federal Government to use all the forfeited properties for public interest.

Specifically, the congress urged the Federal Government to use the over N1trn recovered from corrupt Nigerians to provide some basic amenities and infrastructure lacking all over the country.

The Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) recently declared that the committee had generated a total of N1 trillion in cash, as part of the looted assets.

The president of TUC, Comrade Quadri Olaleye and the Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, commended the effort of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption) PACAC) at trying to sanitise the country and getting rid of corruption.

Comrade Olaleye specifically suggested that the properties should be used for public interests like school hostels, youth corpers’ lodge, tax offices, youth development centres and others, adding, “I have seen pictures of police barracks and military cantonments in the country and I can tell you they are displeasing and ugly sights.

“These security operatives live and raise children in very dirty environments, whereas some privileged individuals loot the treasury to build mansions and even own estates in choice cities. Those estates should be converted into an extension of police and military barracks.”

Speaking further, the labour leader added that “effort should also be made to reclaim and sell out the properties acquired in foreign countries. It makes no sense stealing from the country and invest elsewhere, while agencies of government are in a rented apartment and Nigerians homeless.”

He charged the Federal Government and its agencies in charge to leave no stone unturned in the fight for sanity in the system.

“Some people have alleged that the corruption fight is only against the opposition parties. While many of us do not believe that, we would like to advise that the fight be total, irrespective of whose ox is gored,” he emphasised.