Nigeria: Government urged to ratify AU convention

EMBARGOED! NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE 6:00 GMT, 23 JAN 2004
Media Contact: Bunmi Titiloye
234 (0) 8033020170
[email protected]

IAP URGES FED GOVT TO RATIFY AU CONVENTION

As case against former ministers resumes, good governance group says
regional instrument will enhance the anti corruption campaign

LAGOS 23 JANUARY, 2004. As the corruption trial of three former
ministers Alhaji Hussaini Akwanga, Chief Sunday Afolabi, Dr.
Mohammed Shata and others resumes this morning in Abuja, Independent
Advocacy Project (IAP), the good governance group, calls on the
federal government to demonstrate its genuine commitment to the
fight against corruption by signing and ratifying the African Union
(AU) Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.

In a statement released yesterday in Lagos, IAP says this case is
being widely regarded as a key test of President Olusegun Obasanjo's
resolve to deal with endemic corruption in the country, but that for
the trial not to be seen as "playing to the gallery" or "window
dressing," it is imperative that Nigeria signs, ratifies,
domesticates and implements the AU Convention.

Incorporating the regional anti corruption instrument into Nigerian
laws will pave way for a holistic, systematic and systemic approach
to the fight against corruption. Its ratification will assist
Nigeria in repatriating billions of dollars stashed in foreign banks
by the late dictator, Sani Abacha, as Article 19 (3) of the
Convention, enjoins "all countries to take legislative measures to
prevent corrupt public officials from enjoying ill-acquired assets
by freezing their foreign accounts and facilitating the repatriation
of stolen or illegally acquired monies to the countries of origin."

Adds the good governance group: "The Convention will engender
sufficient co-ordination of anti corruption work within public
sector organisations such as the Independent Corrupt Practices
Commission which brought the case against the former ministers, the
Financial Crimes Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Public
Complaints Commission on one hand, and other sectors of the society,
including civil society organisations, on the other."

While high profile cases may indicate that government is tackling
corruption, IAP believes that if there is transparency and
accountability in institutions of governance, it would have been
difficult for such a huge amount to be improperly allocated, and the
AU Convention, being a standard setting instrument with useful
provisions will no doubt assist Nigeria in this area and give the
anti corruption fight a fillip if indeed the federal government's
anti corruption crusade is real.

ends

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Independent Advocacy Project (IAP)
5 Iyalla Street, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria.
234 8033020170 Fax: 2341 4934894
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.ind-advocacy-project.org