Laolu Akande, a former aide to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has advocated for the punishment of individuals responsible for the printing of N22.7 trillion during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Describing the massive printing of money as an “economic calamity,” Akande emphasized the need for those accountable to face legal consequences.
In an interview on Channels Television, Akande expressed concern that the issue might be overlooked and urged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action rather than mere complaints.
While acknowledging that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision to grant Ways and Means to the government wasn’t inherently problematic, Akande stressed the importance of preventing such incidents from recurring.
“We must ensure that this does not happen again, there must be consequences. Everyone that is involved in this calamity, which is an economic calamity, They must be made to answer in court. We don’t want a situation where the case has died, it is going to repeat itself,” Akande asserted.
Reflecting on the internal dynamics of Buhari’s administration, Akande highlighted concerns about the conduct of the monetary institution, expressing surprise at the extent of the situation’s severity.
“There was nobody in that administration that did not have an idea of how things were going…the shoddiness, the sloppiness, lack of patriotism,” Akande remarked.
The Finance Minister, Wale Edun, had previously attributed Nigeria’s current hardships to the money printed during Buhari’s tenure. The Senate had also pledged to investigate the mismanagement of N30 trillion and $66 billion in Ways and Means funding, which contributed to the country’s food and security challenges.
Edun reaffirmed plans to audit the expenditure of these funds and committed to utilizing revenue generated from recent financial inflows totaling N7 trillion and $15 billion.
Connect with us on our socials: