••• Proposes ‘BOLA card’ for Nigerians
Dr. Charles Márìndọ̀tí Oludare, a prominent figure in Nigerian socio-political space has stressed the need for stronger anti-corruption measures against public office holders alleged of corrupt practices in light of the rampant fraud within the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
Dr Oludare stated this while featuring on TVC programme on Tuesday.
He urged the President and the National Assembly to empower the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the ability to freeze assets of public officials under investigation or indictment for corruption.
His rationale was that preventing access to ill-gotten gains would significantly weaken the ability of corrupt officials to resist legal proceedings and would serve as a potent deterrent against the misuse of public funds.
He also commended President Tinubu for his decisive action in the case of the suspended Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu who was embroiled in a scandal involving N585m.
Dr. Oludare praised the President for being “Mr. Marindoti number 1”, referencing his swift and uncompromising approach in dealing with the erring politician.
He however proposed a significant overhaul of Nigeria’s welfare system.
He suggested replacing the current “Baller Cash” distribution with a more regulated and efficient system, the BOLA card – an acronym for Bridge Outreach for Living Assistance.
Similar to the WIC program in the United States, the BOLA card would be restricted to purchasing food items, aiming to curb misuse.
Food sellers would be required to use card readers that capture data about transactions, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Dr. Oludare also addressed the irregularities observed in the distribution of economic palliative rice and other food materials since the COVID-19 pandemic.
He highlighted that these materials often ended up with political followers rather than those in need, exacerbating inequality and corruption.
To rectify this, he recommended that the food aid be provided directly to food sellers, who would then distribute it to citizens via the BOLA card system.
He further suggested strict penalties for any discrepancies in the distribution, proposing fines double the market value of any unaccounted items.
