The Bill is part of efforts by President Umaru Yar’Adua to reassure Nigerians and indeed the international community on the determination of the present administration to fight corruption.

Known as, “Non Conviction-Based Forfeiture of Proceeds and Instrumentalities of Unlawful Activity Bill 2009”, it would make provision for the restraint and civil forfeiture of property derived from unlawful activity and any instrumentalities used or intended to be used in the commission of unlawful activity, when passed and signed into law.

It will also make provision for the investigation of benefits derived from corruption, money laundering and instrumentalities; to give effect to requests to an from Foreign States for the restraint and confiscation of property used or derived from unlawful activity; and to extend the powers of the Law Enforcement Agencies, and to make provision for the use of recovered property.

Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Abba Ruma, and Fidelia Njeze his Minister of state, Ikra Bilbis, Minister of State for Information and Communications and Grace Ekpiwhere, Minister of State, Works, briefed State House Correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting.

Akunyili said the draft Bill will help in tackling the problem of corruption in the country, and “equally complement the system of post-conviction confiscation and complete a comprehensive approach to asset recovery and repatriation.”

According to her, while considering the draft bill, “council noted that the introduction of non-conviction-based asset forfeiture system in Nigeria will not only complement the steps already taken by the administration to curb corruption, but will also be in consonance with the provisions of United Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which Nigeria has signed and signed and ratified”.

The minister noted that the draft bill “conforms to international best practices and standards. So, considering the advantages therefore and the need to curb corruption and illegal acquisition of assets and properties, council approved the Draft Bill for Non-Conviction-Based Forfeiture of proceeds and Instrumentalities of unlawful Activity Bill, 2009.

However, the Draft Bill in Section 13, sub-section 11 added a caveat “Notwithstanding the provision of subsection (1) of this section, the Court shall not make an order of forfeiture of the property or the proceeds from the sales of such property to the Federal Government of Nigeria until such notice or publication as the Court may direct has been given or made for any person, corporate or financial institution in whose possession the property is found or who may have interest in the property or claim ownership of the property to show cause why the property should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the council also approved various contracts worth over N24 billion including the construction and rehabilitation of eight road projects in the different part of the country.

The road projects are the Hadejia-Nguru road in Jigawa State, at a cost of $4.9 billion, with a completion period of 24 months; the Ifon-Uzebba-Iruepken road and approach road to Ose bridge, in Edo State, at a cost of N1.9billion, with a 24 months completion period; the Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari road in Yobe State, at a cost of N2.3billion with a 24 months completion period and the Akungba-Ikare-Omuo-Kabba road cutting across Ekiti and Ondo State, at a cost of N1.5 billion with a 24 months completion period.

The other projects are the realignment and construction of dangerous curves between Akwanga and Lafia, in Nasarawa State, at a cost ofN3.4 billion with 18 months completion period; the rehabilitation of Efon Alaaye-Erinmo-Iwaraja road between Ekiti and Osun States, at a cost of N3.5 billion; the total strengthening of the existing River Niger Bridge, at Onitsha, Anambra State, at a cost of N740 million with two months completion period and the rehabilitation of Enugu bound carriageway of the Onitsha-Enugu road, phase one of section one, in Anambra state, at a cost of N5 billion, with a 30 months completion period.

Akunyili said that the money for the projects “were provided for in the 2008 budget but could not be awarded before the end of that year, but have been captured in the 2009 appropriation with due process certificate of “no objection” issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement towards the end of 2008.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/33199/42/

bills,govt initiatives,schemes e.tc have never been the problem,we have enough let them start implementing the ones passed after independence at least instead of piling on bill after bill!

he he he he he . . . chasing shadows

what a failed state

Who are they deceiving? Where is the FOI Bill till tomorrow? Absolute rubbish!

you guys are not 'stakeholders' _{i hate that word} so what you say doesnt count. we choose to propose a bill we dont need and we'll keep proposing bills just so it seems we are doing something while we mismanage

Why do not we all bury this country nigeria

Asha where have u been? cant u see nigeria is still in the morgue. no one can afford a reasonable grave so the country is yet to be buried.

^^^

What a waste of time!
How many people have been successfully prosecuted under the current anti-corruption legislation? Nigeria is the only country i know where there are multiple organisations involved in fighting corruption. EFCC, ICPC, Serious Fraud Office(Nigeria Police Force), Code of Conduct Bureau.

Do we actually need all these organisations in first place?

Mrs Akunyili, there is no manner of re-branding you can undertake, you are part of a 'rogue' government.

www...com

Just another grammar to embelish ineffective governance.

What was EFCC, ICPC and others supposed to do to corrupt officials? Recommend them for national awards?

pres-elect:

cant u see nigeria is still in the morgue. no one can afford a reasonable grave so the country is yet to be buried.

Nigeria is not dead yet, Just Suffering from an Illness that is worse than that of the President.
Fresh Bill My Foot!

I wonder if anyone is keeping the count on the number of bills out there to fight corruption. I mean it seems like every quarter, at least one of these comes up, but still next to no actual applause-worthy result to show for all those bills.