Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), Mr Femi Falana has called on the National Assembly to probe
the conditions of Nigeria’s foreign loans totalling about
$79.5bn.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s
Politics Today on Monday, Falana wondered why much
emphasis should just be on the $3.1billion to be secured from
China.
According to him, the masses are being misled by leaders of the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the opposition
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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“We are being misled. What is the basis of this cessation about
Chinese loan which is only $3.1billion out of $79billion loan?
Falana.
“Why are we not talking about the remaining $76billion whose
conditionality is much worse than the Chinese loans we are talking
about?
“So, why don’t you look at the entire loan portfolio? Look at
the conditions. For instance, some of the western loans are to the
effect that the government should increase electricity tariff,
increase fuel price and so on and so forth,” he said.
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Falana also knocked the federal lawmakers for “not complaining
about those multiple taxations dictated by western
imperialism.”
While admitting that every country has the right to enter into
an agreement with issues relating to loans, the senior lawyer
maintained that the National Assembly is required by law to look at
the terms and conditions.
In doing this, Falana asked the Ministry of Justice to always
scrutinise the terms and conditions of the agreements to the
benefits of all Nigerians.