Food Security: CISLAC Asks FG To Tackle Corruption In Ecological Fund

• CISLAC/TI-Nigeria urges government action on corruption in ecological fund management to combat food crisis and environmental degradation
• Mallam Rafsanjani emphasizes transparency in ecological fund spending to prevent misappropriation and ensure benefits for communities and the environment

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre/Transparency International (CISLAC)/TI-Nigeria has called on the federal government to address corruption in the management of the ecological fund as part of efforts to combat the country’s food crisis.

Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the executive director of CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, made this appeal in Abuja during a two-day Stakeholder Consultative Forum and the launch of the “Report on Assessing the Implementation of the Great Green Wall (GGW).” The report aimed to evaluate the implementation of the GGWI in Nigeria and the utilization of climate funds allocated to the initiative.

Rafsanjani also urged the federal government to take immediate and decisive action to address insecurity, particularly the ongoing conflict between farmers and herders.

He expressed concern over the alarming rate of misappropriation and misuse of ecological funds, crucial resources intended to safeguard the environment and communities.

“We believe it is essential for ecological funds to be spent transparently in this country. There have been numerous cases of looting and diversion allegedly involving ecological funds. Therefore, the government must take necessary measures to ensure that a few selfish individuals do not misappropriate resources meant to benefit the people, environment, and communities,” Rafsanjani stated.

He emphasized that CISLAC, as the national chapter for Transparency International (TI), aimed to contribute to the success of the Great Green World Initiative (GGWI) by reinforcing transparency, accountability, integrity, participation, and anti-corruption measures.

The researcher who presented the report, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Shamshudeen, highlighted that the project took two months to complete.