According to The Nation, United Kingdom’s Department for International Development on Monday, revealed that about $32bn which could have been channeled to development by Jonathan’s Government, was lost to corruption. Debbie Palmer, the DFID’s Head of Office in Nigeria, who spoke at an event organized by a non-governmental organization, Youngstars Foundation Initiative in Abuja, said the huge amount represented 16% of the previous government’s resources.
The Nation reports that Debbie Palmer further said at the undergraduate debates challenge to celebrate this year’s international anti-corruption day, that millions of dollars tied up in legal challenges remained in other countries.
“An independent report estimates that up to $32bn was lost to corruption under the previous government. This is around 15 per cent of state resources during the period and could well be an under-estimate.
So the estimate is that nearly 16 per cent of the previous government’s money was lost to corruption. That is a staggering amount of money. And that is money that is to all of you and to your future. That is why we all should care about corruption. Millions of dollars also remain in other jurisdictions tied up in legal challenges” she said.
Palmer who said UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to tackle corruption in all its various forms through its anti-corruption programme in Nigeria, also disclosed that youths in the country have a critical role to play in President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft fight.