TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ON BENEFICIAL​ ​OWNERSHIP

[Auwal Musa]

TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ON BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP 

1st of July, 2019: 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Colleagues,

We are gathered here to call on the Presidency to assent to the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) repeal Bill that is laid at the table of the President. This legislative framework will provide a legal foundation to beneficial ownership discourse. If passed, it will lead to the establishment of the electronic web-based beneficial ownership register in Nigeria. The ultimate goal is the establishment of comprehensive database of REAL OWNERS behind the management of private companies operating within Nigerian jurisdiction. If CAMA Bill is not signed this week, a decade of work will be lost and irreparable diplomatic, economic and reputational damage inflicted.

We recall that the President made commitments to strengthen anti-corruption reforms and joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in July 2016 during the Anti-Corruption Conference in London in a bid to deepen institutional and policy reforms. One of the commitments has been the establishment of a Public Central Register of Beneficial Owners of companies. Three years after this bold commitment, we stand before Nigerian public and the international community empty handed with no beneficial ownership registry in sight!

While legitimate corporate businesses have an integral role in national development, the involvement of Politically Exposed Persons who conceal corruptly acquired wealth through the complex networks of companies deliberately created to hide their identities has further increased the risks they pose to non-fortified economies. The Siemens, Halliburton and Malabu oil scandals, to cite a few high-profile cases, had a net impact on revenue leakages that was unbearable for the country’s finances and the citizens’ economic well-being. Sadly, Nigeria is a global champion in the lack of transparency, shady deals and corporate scams, frequently involving elected politicians, public officials, individuals linked with the defence sector and other so called ‘elite’.

A simple signature on CAMA would have enormous benefits. Beneficial ownership registry will address Nigeria’s obligations towards i) Financial Action Task Force (FATF) whose efforts aim at promoting policies and standards that insulate global financial systems from acts of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Article 24 & 25), ii) Nigeria’s obligation under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), iii) the global Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) implementation of the beneficial ownership standards in extractive sector before the 31st of December, 2019 deadline for Nigeria. Above all, every Nigerian will profit as stolen public wealth will be exposed!

Permit me to outline that there are damning implications of not signing the law. In the absence of CAMA, we risk the suspension from the EITI initiative where Nigeria has always played an important global role. Further, Nigeria is already under pressure from the United States, European Union and other important partners for weak compliance with anti-money laundering legislation, anti-terrorism financing and illicit financial flows. Sanctions will follow if rapid improvement is not achieved RIGHT NOW! In addition, Buhari’s anti-corruption credentials will receive yet another blow if he fails to act on CAMA.

We have just missed a huge opportunity to leap forward in the fight against Nigerian stolen wealth. The failure to enact the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) has inexplicably jeopardised the asset recovery effort, which the executive champions with great vigour.  Many international partners and domestic stakeholders have been horrified to observe the opportunity lost as hundreds of millions of US dollars are awaiting to be returned to Nigeria by the international community. Without POCA, there is no framework to do that in an accountable and transparent way. I urge us to investigate, who has sabotaged the signature of POCA, which has deprived Nigerians of perhaps billions of US dollars in returned assets from abroad and also within Nigeria.

Further, we need to act on investigation and prosecution in cases where beneficial ownership has been disclosed and where concerned individuals have not been able to explain the source of their wealth. Panama papers revealed 110 Nigerians, many of them active politicians. Here we have beneficial ownership proven and unexplained sources of wealth of mind-blowing proportions. How many of these individuals have been investigated, prosecuted and convicted, years after evidence has been provided???

Let us be crystal clear. Concealing of the beneficial owners’ costs lives of our fellow countrymen as terrorists use international financial systems to sustain their operations. Without transparent ownership of Nigerian and international companies operating within the Nigerian jurisdiction, we will not be able to stop the bleeding from illicit financial outflows, which costs us annually around 17 billion US dollars.

As long as wrong incentives and dysfunctional supervision dominate our national financial systems, consequences in the form of terrorism financing, trans-national organized crime, tax evasion and illegal enrichment of politically exposed persons will prevail. CAMA and the beneficial ownership registry is one of the indispensable mechanisms that has a potential to make a real difference!

We therefore call on the President to live up to the expectations of well-meaning Nigerians in fighting corruption by signing the CAMA BILL into law to give a boost to the commitment to fighting corruption and reassure Nigerians that the reason for which he was given this mandate in the first place in 2015 was for the fact that we believe that he will stay through to his words and curb corruption in Nigeria. If CAMA is not enacted, we need to investigate who sabotages the anti-corruption agenda!

God bless us All, God bless Nigeria!

Signed

1.Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)Transparency International-Nigeria

2.African Centre for leadership and Strategic Development

3.Open Government Partnership Secretariat                                                 

  4.Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC)

5. Centre for Information Technology and Development  (CITAD)

6 .SOTU-Nigeria

7.National Procurement Watch Platform (NPWP),

8. African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)

9. Centre for Democracy And Development (CDD)

10.Women.s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WHAPA)

--

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

Executive Director 

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)

Head of Transparency International (Nigeria)

Amnesty International (Nigeria)Board Chairman

No. 16A, House 3, P.O.W. Mafemi Crescent, Off Solomon Lar way,

Utako District, Abuja-Nigeria.

Website: www.cislacnigeria.net

Email: rafsa...@cislacnigeria.net, rafsanj...@gmail.com

GSM: +234-8033844646, +234-8052370333

SKYPE: rafsanjanikano

Global Office:
230 Park Avenue 3rd floor West Spaces Helmsley Building

Between Lexington & Vanderbilt New York NY10169

USA .Cellphone :+1202651142

UK Cellphone:+447983698981

CISLAC HAS UN ECOSOC CONSULTATIVE STATUS

[Gbemi Tijani]

Thanks for sharing this urgent update on your long overdue activism for Legislation on the above.Despite the enormity of systemic damage or decimation and indignation which empty Treasury or prodigality of few sophisticated miscreants can cause on citizens lives -- I m somehow relieved  and buoyed that CISLAC & many NGOs & the Nigerian press are still awake & alive and resilient  on this matter.

Let me quickly conscientious ly flash back a TV panel on AIT , Ibadan discussing about our looted funds and weather it's retrievable or not precisely on  August 2015 .Briefly they all said that its possible provided the top  echelons concerned are willing the recovery to be actualized.Again they added 'if actions are intensified NOW that the heat of support for PMB was ON.They prophetically  submitted that if the heat then publicly felt locally & globally from a supposedly super warrior against corruption in all its forms was not sustained  then we would have missed a centrifugal force and chance to wage war against corporate marauders.

I hope your efforts will be equally blessed by unborn generation of Nigetians if the  CAMA bill sails through not Just like that but for the redemption of all of economic & social Rights 

.Yes we know naively implications of watching public money going into  the drains but how exactly can we measure  the manifold changes it can bring on the people?All age groups

How much more if the recently  #82bn just discovered  as integral part of the 26 -y.-o loot can be returned to us without conditions and with judicious surcharge in our favour because it was a n illicit deposit with which they have traded for 2.6 decade and Nigeria deserves a bigger  amount if  those working as economic intelligence on this matter will not consider the recovery as a booty or recoup.

K

Why we should support CISLAC & all organizations & press coalition online & offline willing & actively spiritualizing why the public money ought not to go into the drains to prevent squalor, indefinitely un-infra - structured Nigeria needing 30trn ,

How long will the factories reopen?

and how much more can we budget boldly for 

24/7  Power, Agric,health, 

long overdue overhaul 

And (of colonial curricula)

 education?

 Where

  And how will you start financing the economies of the states & Centre!  

Has looting not made us a father of untold indebtedness?

  What if I tell you that because of ridiculously slow action against Corruption  these days -unlike PMB of Buhari-Idagbon duo of the 80s -i have shifted optimism to faith and campaign for stewardship germane to this scenario:

"Its left to you,

 the ball is in your court 

 'shoot 'us all to systemic poverty

 if the Treasury is in your hand or a portion of the national cake is on your table--

be you a major launderer or an accomplice of humongous money trafficking-- the Lord Our Maker had seen your nefarious shameful actions against the State-only His Mercies is giving you all a long rope.

But may He never judge all those involved locally globally - we hope that they will repent or have Quickening of the Spirit To actually Restitute The humongous money littered in all monetary institutions so many & scattered that the small press has been publishing leaflets about looted funds by politicians & all their cohorts.

This CAMA bill should be seen as a way shower and patriotic conscientious step to STOP  impoverishing more than 85% of Nigerians who can't be truly called are immune from economic harshness.

   I m burdened as any aware right thinking people.W e  should also annul any sensational news across the years if  $17bn is annually  funnelled away in concert  due to  our collective docility and the harmful plague of silence watching corporate thieving till date.

We fervently hope CISLAC actions and Press actions coupled with other Human Rights Righteous Voice Will lend credence to this worthy and unquantifiable wealthy struggle for a just reminder of the karmic consequences due to both watching the illicit export of public money unchallenged as well as the real  thief's reinforcing abject poverty in Nigeria.

A group registered as MORI,a Muslim organization who are not only against looting but shun collusion , withholding,dictating  actions  of foreign banks accepting and trading with such funds..

No

matter how innocent they pose.

 Despite the equidistant access and ubiquity of the Word of God of all faith facilitated - by the internet ,ICT devices that enhance Connectivity revolution  --where then are the FRUITs of the SPIRIT to convict mortals and quicken their fleshy thoughts against selfish plunder of the State 

Treasury...

Do they  remember this life is of temporary abode

And all is vanity

Except we pass through it with  godly character - which isn't impossible despite all our fallibility.

We are made in His image

Why are we  looting exactly as 

Wild animals will ferociously 

Covet food for their young ones

And maximally predate on lesser ones tacitly being a member of the Animal Kingdom who live on food only!

Why then should Standard Human Form in the 21st C let loose from colonial rope since half- a -Century 

Ago still mimicking wild animal kingdom...

Who else has medically ,scientifically prophesied since late 80s through early 90s as

 Deputy Director General

WHO,Geneva,

Pontif Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo had recommended Psychological Tests for Public Officers not knowing barely a decade after his own sojourn on earth , psychiatric tests will be more appropriate to assess them mentally

Who

Will attest to The legacy of The Right Attitude to private & public & professional service ?

if only all internalize Work and privileged positional service as stewardship 

To serve the motherland with Trust

And Conscience that Prospers the spirit..

Why is it that in the majority we are so religious in Nigeria & Africa yet we act as if the fruits of the faith are always hidden in the pocket!

The manifest --as godliness -- which all great religions including the Indigenous ones carry are not seen in our personal and official stewardship since we embrace all missionary religions.

Why?

Has Presidential Democracy morphed us into eating Luculian foods?at the expense of the people?

In Consequence has this demented us to the extent we are now less alert to do The Right Thing - 

Lead others to deliver the Dividends of democracy and rule umpteenth time insofar due process reelected You...

Ps.

I don't think I m not blessed with this Press briefing of CISLAC & dozens of NgOs that sustained activism and perennial concern to pass the CAMA bill and pave way to enact a law clearly . annotated will prodigiously redeem Nigerian money already looted and others vulnerable to be looted locally, global.

Who has damaged our  religions?

Have we all read the book 

"Damaged Religion"by Dr Sunday Adelaja ,a Nigerian Pastor,

author of many books on stewardship,leadership ,altruistic development and responsible political governance and incredible teachings on You Tube and series video on Christ -centered teachings for the Church that embrace The Right Gospel of Christ Love that holistically enlarge the congregation not demean nor abuse them.

His Reformation by  daily global teachings  is already having impact and dignifying the Black Man not only founding a 100℅ Whiteman s congregation in predominantly secular  Europe ,Kiev for that matter in Russian Communist era,his books had influenced another DrCongolese ,R,Lomba to found another one in Finland- all with much of welfare development inputs.

5

Why is this relevant in public morality consciousness?

Their teachings and the kind of Christ s power leading them  had  attracted lost souls in Europe  not poor not rich.

Prioritising humane needs and values first before they - lost souls including Jetsams & flotsam's of the society were converted as near as Germany and as far as Afghanistan.They didn't fish for millionaire and billionaire as typical of African Churches style they cared for and went for the socially - diseased ,the very hungry before VIPS like legislators and  millionaires who are kind - hearted like Christ Himself also played their own role to feed millions 

Blessedly the Government was challenged and Join in what ought to be her civic duty !

So religion isn't just to worship and eternally revere our Maker it should also help to care for the less privileged in any society how much more in modern times where there's hardly any impeccable ideology nor perfect democracy without unending crisis as today's global politics - African bureaucracy & democracies have exhibited

Nb No matter the source and the teachings our religion should enable us to launch,tout  and prove the eternal possibility and significance of that Bible verse insofar we can stretch and be broken ,be less hauty to do  what and why God expected  us mortals

 who he had specially chosen as Royal enough to be an epitome of  all about " Life & Godliness"as it was written  in 2Peter 1:3 

All  Nigerians locally & in the Diaspora and global faithfuls

 must read through verse 4-10)

NKJV,page 1726

Here verses 3 -4 are exactly but not exclusively the only relevant portion:

     As His Divine Power had given to       us all things that pertain to life             and  godliness through the                 knowledge of Him who called            Us by glory and virtue,

           V.4

              a. By which have been given to us extremely great and precious promise s ,that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature,

Having escaped the 'corruption that's in the world through lust,           v5 very interesting ,piercing  pointedly challenging on us all -- as I have said earlier all should read v3-10

Nigerian immigrants are doing fine abroad why can't the churches and the mosques and other faithfuls preach how not to be a thieving citizen ?

Of any nation let alone be part of a state s prodigality that depletes common wealth....

We need change of mindset  at the individual, corporate and leadership levels.W e need to become engineer s of love,for love is a mighty engineer.

We as inactive watchers of looting are part of the problem.

I m abashed by daily news of N 27trn indebtedness but much more of daily figures of public money being announced

swallowed  by snake,

 embezzled and mismanaged.

PPS

I remember an award winning poet Niyi Osundare who used to warn writers of poems in the 80s - and I m not surprised at his vehemence about why we shouldn't give our musings to others -not even typists to type for us because they will murder the poetry.Imagine.

This professional   poet had carried more traditional poetry from his artistically loud and wealthy boyhood than he was schooled in the Ivory Towers.H e can refute this.I 'm still fallible as a bio briefer.

 He himself was "shaking at his first use of the computer abroad few decades ago" he reminisced far before the  Katrina fury  he graciously survived in the New Orleans,USA

 This teacher of teachers  of  poetry said 

" they will murder the poems for you"

What of Nigeria?

Are we  going to ignore and God forbid become deaf and dumb to history of looting and looting imminent before our very nose?

Besides those EFCC,ICPC and patriotic Nigerians blowing whistles about huge amount  looted away to oblivion?

 Are we going to be insensitive 

and slothful to take appropriate ACTIONs on the annual whiff of  $17billion which CISLAC and others alerted ? They had been intelligently keeping vigil  on our collective Wealth.

How else Besides legislation can we  prevent irreversible plunder again and again?

All over the globe almost  all involved in public money theft are increasingly becoming sophisticated as tech grows more and more Connecting devices. 

 * I m much indebted to Auwal Ibrahim for this post 

And to Daddy  Prof Toyin Falola

Gbemi Tijani MST

Paul Harris Fellow

Convener:Civicconcern

Email: rafsanjani@cislacnigeria.net, rafsanj...@gmail.com

GSM: +234-8033844646, +234-8052370333

SKYPE: rafsanjanikano

Global Office:
230 Park Avenue 3rd floor West Spaces Helmsley Building

Between Lexington & Vanderbilt New York NY10169

USA .Cellphone :+1202651142

UK Cellphone:+447983698981

CISLAC HAS UN ECOSOC CONSULTATIVE STATUS

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