FG recovers N120bn from proceeds of crimes, Environment ministry generates N8.6bn in 7 years

The federal  government Wednesday said it generated a whooping N120billion from the proceeds of crimes  from confiscated and forfeited properties cross the country.

It similarly said  the sum of N9.690billion  was sent as revenue from the environment ministry,  into the Treasury Single Account(TSA) from 2015 to date.

The positions were made known at the  eight edition of the ‘PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023) in Abuja.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: “I have an update on the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act (POCA), 2022. In line with the new law, all relevant agencies of government have now opened ‘Confiscated and Forfeiture Properties Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“I can confirm that so far, the Federal Government has realized over 120 billion Naira, among other currencies, from POCA. This money will be used to fund the completion of ongoing critical infrastructure projects in the country like the Second Niger Bridge as well as Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kano Expressways. We will continue to update you on this.”

Taking his turn, Minister of Environment Mohammed Abdullahi  said: “ The Ministry has been able to create 85,848 direct and indirect jobs through the implementation of various citizens oriented projects and programmes.

 “As at 2nd Quarter, 2022 a total number of 38,134 persons classified as the rural and poorest have received various livelihood enhancement trainings and support from the Ministry to align with the President’s strategy of taking 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

 “ The Ministry during the period under review firmed up its internally generated revenue strategy and has significantly boosted the TSA to the tune of  Eight Billion, Six Hundred and Ninety Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand, Fourteen Naira, Fifty Three Kobo (N8,690,529,014.53).

On waste to wealth programme, Abdullahi said the ministry engaged in the  “construction of public toilets across the country under the open defecation free programme (eg. Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Abia, FCT, Ondo etc.)

” Additionally, 10 waste recycling facilities have been constructed in some pilot States. These are expected to drive participation from the private sector for replication as well as attract Foreign Direct Investments(FDI).

” Over 200 youth and women have been trained under the youth and women empowerment through environmental Management Program, which is a waste to wealth/poverty alleviation initiative in the Ministry. The trainees were issued certificates and the Ministry is facilitating access to further support. “ Other Facilities are at various stages of completion across the country and the Ministry intends to construct at least one waste recycling facility in each of the 774 LGAs nationwide.

”The Ministry also further empowered 25 trainees with 25 locally fabricated briquetting machines for production of waste materials.  The Ministry facilitated the conversion of over 50 SMEs from ozone depleting to non-ozone depleting production processes.  The Ministry developed the Nigeria Cooling (N-CAP) Action Plan, which is expected to be incorporated into the NDC to facilitate Nigeria’s achievements of the Paris Goal of limiting global temperatures preferably to 1.5 degree Celsius.”