The Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has asked Nigerians who are concerned about how the Abacha Loot is being spent, to take a deeper look into the budget.

Mr Adesina gave this advise on Wednesday when he appeared as guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

According to the presidential spokesman, all regarding the use of the recovered funds is embedded in a section of the budget called‘Recoveries’.

He stated that the monies recovered have always been and will continued to be used for Social Investment Projects.

Mr Adesina also noted that there are subheads awarded to the funds within the budget.

The President’s media aide stressed that contrary to claims in some quarters, the funds have been judiciously put to use and the break downs within the budget gives deeper insight as to the specifics of use.

He assured Nigerians that the recovered loot cannot be squandered BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT MADE IT MANDATORY FOR THE BUHARI ADMINISTRATION TO STATE EXACTLY WHAT IT WILL BE USED FOR.

I wondered, is the release of the Abacha’s loot at this time a matter of trying to impose a certain kind of social system on Nigerians? Why should the Nigerian government state exactly what the monies will be used for before it is released? Obviously, the success or failure of this released loot can not be evaluated in terms of the American government releasing it, except if Femi Adesina wants Nigerians to regard the Abacha’s Loot as American Foreign Aid. It is only when the loot is regarded as aid that the success or failure of it can be evaluated only in terms of the donor’s “political goal”.

The issue of foreign aid, some poor Nigerians may ask: to what extent has foreign aid contributed to narrowing the gap between rich and poor Nigerians? From my research, when a country lends a great deal of money, say in terms of its pulation per year, some $450 per person in nonmillitary aid, in most of the world, the actual impact of the aid is usually small. The monies received by the Nigerian government in aid, so far may seem large in some respects, but they seem to wane when divided by the total Nigerian population; then it becomes evident that American aid of over $15 per capita could not have the kind of major impact created elsewhere by aid over $100 per capita.

It is important to mention here that, the earlier the Buhari ADMINISTRATION sets a goal directed towards fundamental change in the poor Nigeria, the better. Set a goal to create democracy. The recovered Abacha’s loot should help poor Nigerians catch up to rich ones.