The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to renovate and convert its abandoned buildings and forfeited land, both locally and abroad, for public use.
This resolution was adopted following a motion titled, “Call to convert abandoned and seized properties including buildings and lands for public use,” moved by Iyawe Esosa, representing the Oredo Federal Constituency of Edo State, during the plenary session.
Esosa highlighted that various government agencies are currently operating from rented office spaces while the Federal Government owns numerous abandoned properties across the country.
He emphasized that asset recovery is a potent yet underutilized tool against both domestic and international corruption, referencing the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, which provides a strong legal framework for managing and recovering such proceeds.
He recalled that in 2017, the Federal Government repurposed landed properties seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for office use by several agencies, resulting in savings of about N180 billion. Esosa further noted that many government agencies are struggling with office accommodation due to the high costs of rent.
Reports indicate that over 50 confiscated assets from politically exposed persons, civil servants, and other individuals are currently unoccupied and deteriorating.
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Following the adoption of the motion, the House referred the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for further legislative action.