•Governor Mbah: Belongings to be deployed for the good thing about Enugu individuals
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), yesterday, handed over 14 properties initially forfeited to the federal authorities and now ceded to the federal government and folks of Enugu State.
This was sequel to the request by the Governor Peter Mbah Administration and permitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The switch of the properties to Mbah, was carried out by the Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, on the company headquarters of the fee in Jabi, Abuja.
This was whilst Governor Mbah assured that the recovered belongings could be deployed to the optimum the good thing about the individuals of Enugu State.
Talking earlier than the temporary handover ceremony, Olukoyede, who disclosed that the highway to the forfeiture dated again to 2007, acknowledged that occasion spoke of the mutually helpful relationship present between the federal and state governments.
“What we’re witnessing at the moment testifies to a symbiotic relationship that ought to exist between the federal authorities and the state governments.
“The essence of our assembly right here at the moment is for us to handover properties that have been forfeited to the federal authorities, which after all belong to Enugu State individuals again to the individuals”, he mentioned.
“It exhibits that governance can work in Nigeria. Our individuals deserve the advantages of fine governance and that’s what is being evidenced right here at the moment.
“For those who have a look at the historical past of this specific matter, it takes us again to 2007 once we began the prosecution. So we’re about 17 years for the reason that matter has been on.
“Ultimately a number of the properties have been forfeited and since then, the EFCC has been managing these properties despite the fact that the titles of fairly various the properties have been revoked by the Enugu State authorities”, he added.
The EFCC chair additional declared: “we’re witnessing right here at the moment is the official handing over of the properties to the individuals of Enugu State by way of His Excellency, Dr Peter Mbah”.
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Mbah expressed gratitude for the handover and thanked the EFCC chair and the fee for making certain that the individuals of his state reclaimed their frequent patrimony.
“I wish to specific my profound gratitude for the occasion we’re witnessing at the moment.
“The significance and significance of this occasion can by no means be misplaced on us and we don’t additionally take it with no consideration. So, I need to take this chance to convey my profound gratitude and deep appreciation to the chairman and members of the EFCC staff which have introduced us to the place we’re at the moment”, he mentioned.
“This can be a journey that started a number of years in the past and we’re marking a proper closure to that journey right here at the moment. A journey that noticed the profitable prosecution of sure firms in possession of belongings belonging to the individuals of Enugu State,” he mentioned.
The governor who famous that the properties have been forfeited to not his state however to the federal authorities expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for making it doable for them to be returned to the federal government and folks of Enugu State.
“These belongings have been forfeited to the federal authorities. And this brings me to a different gratitude that I need to convey right here at the moment. I need to acknowledge and recognise the vital position performed by the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“With out the proactiveness and velocity at which he acted on our request to cede these belongings again to the individuals and authorities of Enugu State, we wouldn’t have been right here at the moment. So I need to thank him most sincerely for granting our request for these belongings that have been forfeited to the federal authorities to be ceded again to Enugu State.
The Enugu State Chief govt additional asserted that “these properties could be used for the good thing about the individuals of Enugu state.”
“All of the belongings with none exemption, and they might be deployed to optimum use for the good thing about the individuals of Enugu state,” he harassed.
He lauded Olukoyede’s initiatives at making the EFCC a robust establishment and cautioned towards makes an attempt by some people to distract the fee.
“I cannot finish this comment with out acknowledging the work the EFCC chairman is doing in strengthening this essential establishment. It is necessary that we don’t weaken our establishments.
“Thanks very a lot for all the good work you and your staff are doing and notably for the hassle that you’ve got put in to make at the moment a actuality,” the governor acknowledged.
The properties comprise homes, transmission tools for radio and tv stations, a constructing for medical operations, amongst others.