Edozie Udeojo, Abuja
The federal government has said no fewer than 17 organisations have indicated an interest in monitoring the spending of nearly $312million repatriated Abacha loot.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), had confirmed the receipt of $311,797,866.11 of the Abacha assets repatriated from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey.
He had in a statement said the funds would be expended on projects such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kano Road and the Second Niger Bridge.
However, in its bid to ensure transparency and probity in the utilisation of the recovered fund, the federal government yesterday opened bids for consultancy service to monitor the implementation of Abacha loots.
The consultancy service is to undertake the monitoring of the implementation of the tripartite agreement on the sharing, transfer, disposition, repatriation and management of the Abacha 111 forfeited assets.
Some of the firms include: Triump Oil and Gas Limited, International Action Centre, GPM Associate; Phenai Penal Consult Limited/ Africa in Foundation Infrastructure, Cleen Foundation, and Olotu Lekan F. & Co.
Others are Anti-Corruption and Research Base Data Initiative, Public and Private Development Centre, Arewa Community and Social Development Network in Nigeria, Quadrante, IBLF Global, PPP Advisories Consortium, Restitution Impact limited and Urban Projects Prospect Integrated Services Limited.
The rest are: Centre for Social Justice, Foundation for Public-Private Partnerships, Nigeria and Global Society for Anti-Corruption.