Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has echoed the sentiments of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, calling for a return of ‘stolen’ African assets hidden in financial institutions in the West.
The call is a response to a comment passed by British Prime Minsiter David Cameron, who told the Queen ahead of the UK anti-corruption summit that they had some ‘fantastically corrupt’ nations attending. ie Nigeria and Afghanistan.
Speaking to the BBC Thursday, President Mahama echoed Buhari’s call for a return of those assets, saying that, and not finger pointing and blame sharing, is the way forward for the developing world to catch up.
“…we must look at the sources of corruption, we must put the systems in place that prevent it from happening but when it has happened we must look at these advanced and developed countries where these monies are hidden and can be returned to their legitimate owners in the developing world.” The President told Peter Okwoche.
“I think that it doesn’t make a good environment when there is a finger pointing amongst us, we must be working as partners.”
Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, speaking at the summit earlier in the week, responded to the claim his country was ‘fantastically corrupt’, and said those calling for him to demand an apology has it all wrong, as what is needed is a return of their stolen assets.
“I am not going to demand any apology from anyone. What I am demanding is a return of assets.” he stated emphatically.
“I have already mentioned how Britain really led and how disgraceful one of the Nigerian executives was. He had to dress like a woman to leave Britain and leave behind him his bank account and fixed assets, which Britain is prepared to hand over to us. This is what I am asking for.
“What would I do with an apology? I need something tangible.” he continued.