TUC canvasses use of recovered loot, forfeited properties for public interest

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has called on the Federal Government to use the over N1trillion recovered from corrupt Nigerians and all forfeited properties for public good.

The loot, TUC said, should be used to provide some basic amenities lacking all over the country.

The union commended the effort of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as well as the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), to sanitise Nigeria and rid it of corruption.

It noted that the Itse Sagay-led PACAC, recently declared that the committee generated a total of N1trillion in cash as part of the looted assets.

President of TUC, Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said the properties should be used for public interest such as school hostels, youth corps’ lodges, tax offices, and youth development centres and a host of others.

“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 to an extension of police and military barracks,” the union urged.

It said effort should also be made to reclaim and sell out the properties acquired in foreign countries, stressing that there is no economic sense when loot are stolen from the country and invested elsewhere, while agencies of government are in rented apartments, and Nigerians homeless.

Olaleye, who counselled the Federal Government and agencies in charge to leave no stone unturned in the fight for sanity in the system, said: “If the country is going to change then we all must begin to do things differently. 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 is total, irrespective of whose ox is gored.”