CACOL in The News – Page 13 – Centre for Anti-Corruption & Open Leadership

29 Aug

pomp
CACOL Blog CACOL in The News
Comments Off on AMNESTY FOR TREASURY LOOTERS: MANDATE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO REJECT BILL; CACOL TELLS NIGERIANS

AMNESTY FOR TREASURY LOOTERS: MANDATE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO REJECT BILL; CACOL TELLS NIGERIANS

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has condemned in very strong terms the Bill before the House of Representatives, HOR seeking Amnesty for perpetrators of corruption. The Centre also called on Nigerians to mandate their Representatives to ensure that the pro-corruption bill does not become an Act by rejecting it wholesomely.

The proposed law seeks to give the looters leeway to escape any form of probe, inquiry or prosecution after fulfilling certain conditions.

The bill in part proposes a total and comprehensive amnesty for all declarants from all otherwise repercussions under Nigerian laws and further provides that all such declarations shall be inadmissible in evidence against the declarant except in ‘matters of national security’.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, stating the position of the Centre said “if the bill is allowed to become law, it would encourage corruption with impunity.
What the country needs at this time are laws that would strengthen the anti-corruption war and ensure punishment for looters.”

“This bill is uncalled for because the only thing it will achieve is to encourage people to steal and return part of the money for amnesty.
At the end, it will still be victory for corruption and that is not good for the development of the country.”

Adeniran also supported the decision of the government to publish names of looters, saying the move would go a long way in discouraging corruption, while urging the government to ensure judicious use of recovered looted funds so as to impact on the lives of the masses.

“Yes, the decision of the Federal Government to publish names of looters following a court order is a welcome development. We cannot say we are fighting corruption when people steal money at the expense of the generality of Nigerians and they cannot be identified, so the development is good for the anti-corruption war. However, the government must also ensure recovered monies are channeled into development projects.” He said “It is not justifiable to have bad roads, unemployment and all of that when recovered monies are lying somewhere. Government should not only publish the names but expend the recovered monies on development projects.”

Adeniran reiterating the position of CACOL on penitent and recalcitrant corruption criminals said “we have always insisted on punishing culprits of corruption to serve as deterrent to other corruption criminals and the potentially corrupt persons in the country. The non-application of punitive measures against persons guilty of corruption would make the whole anti-corruption war a huge joke, a waste of time, energy and resources”.

“We acknowledge the difference between penitent corruption criminals and recalcitrant ones, it is correct to treat those who admit their guilt voluntarily and those that make the state to expend resources energy and time before their conviction is achieved differently, we agree to that extent.”

“But our position is that those that opt for plea bargain or seek Amnesty should nonetheless not be allowed to go scot-free; they should hence be stripped of all their properties and monies as well as honours that could have been bestowed on some
of them – they should be made to start life anew. All of their material possessions should be deemed as proceeds of corruption and therefore confiscated by the state. Then they can be told to ‘go and sin no more.”

“As for the recalcitrant ones, they should of course be made toface the full constitutional and judicial consequences of their crimes. They should be put in jail according to size of their loots, even up to life imprisonment.”

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator,

Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL

08141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.com

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at

www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.com

PUBLIC NOTICE: CACOL INTEGRITY AWARDS, (CIA) 2017

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, hereby presents to the general Public, its nominees for CACOL INTEGRITY AWARDS, (CIA) 2017 for scrutiny and assessment in terms of the worthiness and suitability of the awards for the nominated receipts. CACOL is via this medium requesting the public to put forward any reason why any of its nominees for the esteemed awards are deservedly qualified or unqualified.

This is to instill integrity and consensus in the process of picking the winners of the CIA for broad acceptance as it is traditional in CACOL’s tradition.

We implore all and sundry not hesitate to bare their minds and facts for or against any of the nominees to ensured that only the most genuinely deserving persons receive the prestigious awards.

BRIEF ON CACOL INTEGRITY AWARDS

Our organization, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL is up till December 28, 2016 known as Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders. CACOL is an aggregate of human rights, community based, and civil society organizations and individuals with anti-corruption and openness in governance agenda across Nigeria. It is a non-political, non-religious, non-sectarian, non-profit organization.

CACOL sets for itself the tasks of promoting accountability, openness in governance and using any available means to cause relevant authorities to probe and bring to book corrupt leaders both in public and private institutions. We also strive to protect interest of persons or groups found to be victims or potential victims of corrupt practices or processes of manipulation and violation of human rights. The decision to embark on the journey was taken in 2007 in view of the need to confront, once and for all the monster that is ravaging all facets of our national life in Nigeria – Corruption.

We decided to do this with and on behalf of millions of hapless Nigerians who have by a choice that is not theirs, fallen or are potential victims of corrupt leaders. This monster torments ordinary people of Nigeria in all areas of their endeavour. We have to confront it with a view to defeating it because it has to be done, not by ghosts or citizens of other nations but by Nigerians who have pride in themselves to be full-blooded Nigerians. Our promotion and pursuance of ‘open leadership’ is hinged on our belief that it will facilitate transparency and accountability in governance while also plugging the holes of corruption.

Due to the endemic corruption that is ravaging our county with many of our former men and women of integrity dipping their hands into the pot of sleaze, CACOL sees the urgent need to encourage the few corruption fighters, both living and dead, in order to serve as catalyst to other corruption fighters to be resolute in their fight against the menace in Nigeria, hence the justification for the CACOL INTEGRITY AWARDS (CIA)

The Awards which was conceived to be given annually seek to appreciate the contributions of some individuals to the anti-corruption fight in the country. There are six (6) different categories:

Hero of Integrity Award: This category of award is for persons who are still in active service with the opportunity of engaging in corrupt practices but resist being influenced by privileges at their disposal.
Icon of Integrity Award: This award is for persons who have remained consistent in the fight against corruption and never wavered for a minimum of ten (10) years.
Symbol of Integrity Award: This category of award is conferred on persons who have passed through public and private life without corruption blemish.
Legend of Integrity Award: This award is conferred on persons, either living or dead, whose name or personality has become a reference point when discussing the crusade against corruption.
Martyr of Integrity Award: This category of award is conferred on persons who died fighting corruption and protecting goodness.
Integrity Man of the Year Award: This is conferred on persons that contributed something significant in the fight against corruption in a particular year.

For the maiden edition of CACOL Integrity awards, the following persons were conferred the awards.

NAMES OF 2013 AWARDEES

Late Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi Legend of Integrity
Professor Tan David-West Symbol of Integrity
Alhaji Lateef Jakande Symbol of Integrity
Razaq Bamidele Hero of Integrity
Corporal Azeez Arogundade Hero of Integrity

NAMES OF 2014 AWARDEES

Late Pa. Anthony Enahoro Symbol of Integrity
Tunji Braithwaite Symbol of Integrity
(Mrs.) Keziah Awosika Symbol of Integrity
Primate Olapade Agoro Icon of Integrity
Dipo Fashina Icon of Integrity
Late Com. Baba Omojola Legend of Integrity

For this year’s edition, the following persons who have demonstrated sufficient resistance against corruption have been nominated to be conferred with the CACOL INTEGRITY AWARDS (CIA), 2017. The award ceremony is billed for the first week of September, 2017 when the 10 year Ann

Mr Ibrahim Magu Integrity Man of the Year
Comrade Hassan Sumonu Symbol of Integrity
Christopher Kolade Legend of Integrity
(Mrs.) Sophie Oluwole Symbol of Integrity
Festus Iyayi (Post Humus) Martyr of Integrity
Eskor Toyo (Post Humus) Legend of Integrity
Mr Omoyele Sowore Hero of Integrity
Late Barr. Alao Aka-Bashorun (Post Humus) Martyr of Integrity
Late Com. Barr. Kanmi Ishola-Osobu (Post Humus) Legend of Integrity
Babajide Kolade-Otitoju Icon of Integrity

While counting on the unbiased and honest comments, critiques or support from the public in this process, we give our profound appreciations for the anticipated contributions of all and sundry.

Yours in service to humanity