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‘Over $200 million donor funds diverted in Nigeria’

By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu (Benin City), Tunji Omofoye (Osogbo) and Tina Todo (Calabar)
10 May 2017   |   4:10 am
The President of Godsent Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Dion Osagie, said over $200 million donated to NGOs in Nigeria yearly end up in the private accounts of the owners of these organisations.

Osagie

• NAPTIP urges citizens to blow whistle on human traffickers
The President of Godsent Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Dion Osagie, said over $200 million donated to NGOs in Nigeria yearly end up in the private accounts of the owners of these organisations.

Osagie stated this during a chat with newsmen in Benin City yesterday. He alleged that about 70 per cent of NGOs in Nigeria are fraudulent.

While calling for complete re-orientation in the running of NGOs in the country, Osagie called for proper screening of these organisations operating in Nigeria.

He further said that: “If NGOs, especially those meant to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich really live up to their function and transparently utilise what they receive as donors, don’t you think it would alleviate poverty in the rural areas?”

Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) has urged Nigerians to embrace the concept of whistle blowing to curb human trafficking in the country.

The Director General (DG) of the agency, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli said the concept became imperative in view of the great danger human trafficking constitutes to national development.

Speaking yesterday during a visit to Osogbo, Osun State command of the agency, Okah-Donli urged the public to provide the anti-human trafficking body with necessary information which would lead to prevention and arrest of those engaged in the illicit trade.

In a related development, a group – Voice for Compliance and Legality (VOCAL) Project has described whistle blowing as another form of corruption.

The group under the aegis of Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria, funded by the European Union stated this in Calabar, Cross River State during its review meeting tagged, “Support to Anti-corruption in Nigeria.”

It urged the Federal Government to review the use of whistle blowers in the fight against corruption.

The leader of the group, Mr. William Itorok said: “Whistle blowing is part of re-active corruption. They are part and of the crime committed against Nigeria by looters. If they were not betrayed by the looters, they won’t come out to blow whistle.”

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