Group hail new Finance minister, wants IST’s corruption case concluded

Fri, Aug 23, 2019
By publisher
3 MIN READ

Politics

Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative has congratulated the Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed on her appointment as the substantive minister.

In a statement issued on Friday by Comrade Olumuyiwa Onlede, Executive Director of the group, the new minister’s appointment was described as a testament of her good performance in acting capacity.

The group however cautioned the minister to be wary of persons or issues capable of derailing the anti-corruption fight of the current administration for which her ministry was strategic to.

“Your appointment is a clear testimony of your competence and capability to key in to the mainstream of next level agenda of the present administration to deliver good and viable governance to the people of our great country, Nigeria.

“We also implore you to build on the foundation that you have laid while you held sway in the same ministry.

“As a civil society organisation that is desirous of a system that is free from systemic corruption, we want to take your mind to the fact that there would be challenges.

The group urged the minister to live above board and to champion policies that will boost the economy of the country.

It used the opportunity to appeal to the ministry to conclusively address the corruption saga and investigation that had been rocking the Investment and Securities Tribunal.

“Honourable minister, immediately you resume in your office, you will be faced with the issue of Mr Isaiah idoko Akoh the Chairman of Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST).

“This issue has been a thorn in the flesh of the Anti- Corruption Society in Nigeria for some months now.

Freedom of Information act was invoked by us on 8th of August, 2019 demanding from Ministry of Finance all investigative reports and audits on Investments and Securities Tribunal(IST) from 2018 till date.

“Those investigations and audit were carried out by Presidential Initiative and Federal Ministry of Finance and Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST).

“To our greatest dismay up till this day no formal response or correspondence has been made by Federal Ministry of Finance.

“We hope that with your appointment a new order of doing things will be instituted in the ministry to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti- corruption fight.

“We desire your cooperation in this struggle for the rescue of the soul of Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST) as we will not hesitate to press home our demand through peaceful protest to the ministry if no official response is made to address our request,”the group said. (NAN)

_AUG 23, 2019 @15:45 GMT |

Tags: