The Executive Director Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC), Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem has commended the Federal Government for the nomination of Reverend David Ugolor to the 22-member Committee on the Sale of Recovered Assets. In a press statement issued in Lokoja, Kogi State, Mr. Tijani noted that the Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) Reverend David Ugolor has been a passionate and principled leader, who has worked tirelessly to galvanize the civil society to robustly engage the issues of assets recovery in Nigeria and Globally.
SERDEC further welcomes this particular nomination because it offers a rare opportunity for an experienced and tested civil society actor to contribute in shaping key processes, which would determine a transparent and accountable disposal of recovered assets. Mr. Tijani congratulates Reverend Ugolor on the recognition and believes his nomination puts him on a good pedestal to be the voice, eyes and ears of civil society on the Committee and bring to bear his passionate and principled stance on issues of assets recovery for the benefit of all citizens.
SERDEC is also confident that Reverend Ugolor’s voice will also resonate in the Committee through an adherence to the core principles enunciated at the Global Forum on Assets Recovery (GFAR). Especially GFAR’s principles 4 and 5, which focus on transparency and accountability in the return and disposition of recovered assets which is significant to the fight against Corruption. Mr. Tijani advised the committee to make public information on the transfer and administration of returned assets, where possible and without prejudice to also name to shame individuals and corrupt officials involve in stealing the national wealth.
SERDEC has no doubt that Reverend Ugolor will patriotically advance these principles, given his vantage position as a member of the Committee. We therefore join the rest of the civil society organisation Monitoring Recovered Assets through Transparency and Accountability (MANTRA) to wish him a fruitful and effective tour of duty.
