By Gabriel Ewepu Abuja
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Tuesday, advised the Federal Government to apply Global Forum on Asset Recovery, GFAR, principles to recover forfeited assets.
This was stated by the Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, who also is a member of the recently inaugurated 22-man Inter-Ministerial Committee on the disposal of all assets forfeited to the federal government by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in Abuja.
Ugolor also assured that the GFAR principles will guide the work of the committee in terms of efficiency, transparency, and accountability in discharging their national assignment because their best is expected at the end of six months.
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It will be recalled that on Monday Malami, Monday, inaugurated a 22-member Inter-Ministerial Committee, to undertake the assignment, where he said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the composition of the Committee which is headed by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, SAN, since October 27.
According to him the core mandate of the Committee was to ensure the expedient disposal of all forfeited assets, to generate revenue for the Federal Government based on Mr. President’s directive in October 2018 following the recommendations of the Presidential Audit Committee on Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets, there was the need for effective and efficient management of recovered assets, as an interim measure, pending the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill.
The responsibilities of the Inter-Ministerial Committee include implementation of provisions of the ATRM Regulations, ensure the transparency of the disposal of Federal Government Final Forfeited Assets and others.
Ugolor said: “We will ensure that the Global Forum on Asset Recovery, GFAR, principles GFAR principles are applied to ensure transparency and accountability in the work of the committee.
“Most members of our committee are men and women with rich experience and track record in asset recovery and management and we are determined to meeting the expectations of Mr. President and Nigerians at large.”
