In fulfilment of his promise, President Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday, May 29, 2016 being his first anniversary in office, reveal the names of persons who voluntarily returned public funds looted by them and as well mention the total amount recovered so far.
Buhari disclosed his intention yesterday in London during an interview monitored on Channels Television after attending a four-day international summit on anti-corruption hosted by the British government.
“So far, what has come out, what has been recovered, in whatever currency, from which ministry, department and individuals, I intend on the 29th to speak on this because all that Nigerians are getting to know are from the newspapers, radio and television. We want to make a comprehensive report by May 29,” Buhari said.
President Buhari had on Friday, December 11, 2015 promised to reveal the names of former government officials who have voluntarily returned looted funds to the coffers of the Federal Government in “due course,” adding then that early disclosure of their identities “may jeopardize the possibility of bigger recoveries.”
Buhari, who was then speaking at the 2015 edition of the annual Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation Lecture in Lagos, had said that “in due course, the Central Bank of Nigeria will make information available to the public on the surrendered funds.”
He said his government owes Nigerians adequate information on recovery of looted funds, explaining that it is part of the collective effort to change the country from the “bastion of corruption it currently is, to a place of probity and transparency”.
The fulfilment of the President’s promise is seen by analysts as lending credence to the ongoing anti-corruption fight and will send fears down the spines of public officials.
Buhari had on Thursday in London also pledged that in furtherance of his administration’s effort against corruption, Nigeria will soon begin the full implementation of the principles of the Open Contracting Data Standard.
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