‘What to know about Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill 2025,’ Sponsor, Senator Adebule gives details
The senator representing Lagos West District, Dr Idiat Adebule, has inaugurated a newly constructed Skill Acquisition Centre at Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos.
A statement sent to Platforms Africa noted that the facility, built as part of Adebule’s constituency projects, was designed to empower residents through vocational training and promote self-reliance.
Senator Adebule was quoted to have said that the centre would complement the efforts of the Lagos State Government and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government in human resource development of the people of Lagos-West District.
According to her, the centre is just a tip of the iceberg, adding that more of such impactful projects are ongoing across the 28 LGAs/LCDAs of Lagos-West from Badagry, Ifako-Ijaiye, Agege, Alimosho, Ojo, Ikeja, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin and others.
She urged the residents to protect the centre to reap maximum benefits.
“The money used in constructing this place was given to us by the Federal Government, which means it is your money. This project is yours, and I encourage you to take care of it so that generations to come will benefit from it,” she said.
She noted that the centre was one of several ongoing constituency projects across Lagos West, adding that a new market in Agbado/Oke-Odo would be inaugurated soon.
According to her, other interventions in Mushin will include the installation of solar-powered streetlights as well as the planned construction of a one-kilometre road at Market Street, near Ijesha.
Adebule thanked her constituents for given her their mandates, stressing that their supports made such interventions possible.
“Whatever we are celebrating here today is about you. You voted for us, you gave us the mandate, and your money is working for you,” she said.
She assured the residents that training programmes at the new centre would commence before the end of the year, with the facility fully equipped for youths and artisans.
Former Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Rasaq Ajala, described the project as a step toward reducing unemployment and enhancing sustainable development in the area.
He said he had persuaded the Senator to establish a skills acquisition centre instead of classrooms.
“She initially wanted to build classrooms, but I told her no. She asked what we would prefer, and I suggested a skills acquisition centre for the people of Odi-Olowo. At first, she was concerned about how to accommodate it within her budget since it was not part of her initial plan. However, because of her love for her people she reconsidered and found a way to make it possible,” he said.
Chairman of the council, Seyi Jakande, hailed Senator Adebule for the gesture.
Jakande promised further supports of the council for the senator.
Meanwhile, the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill 2025, sponsored by a senator representing Lagos West District, Dr Idiat Adebule, has scaled second reading in the Senate.
This bill is an amendment to the existing Proceeds of Crime Act 2022.
According to Senator Adebule, the amendment if passed would enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of national assets recovered from unlawful activities.
Speaking during the plenary on the bill, the lawmaker proposed the establishment of a central agency to take over the management and disposal of recovered assets, a function currently shared among 18 government agencies.
She argued that the current arrangement had created overlapping responsibilities and inefficiencies, opening the door to mismanagement and corruption; hence, the bill seeks to create an independent body to streamline the process and block leakages.
“The lack of coordination and standardised procedures among the agencies has made asset recovery opaque and unaccountable,” Senator Adebule said.
The bill elicited divergent views among the the lawmakers.
Senator Sani Musa expressed partial support for the bill.
He stressed the need for stronger oversight but cautioning against the creation of a new agency.
Senator Abdul Ningi commended Senator Adebule for a well thought-out Idea.
He described the bill as the missing link to block the leakages.
Senator Emmanuel Udende argued that existing agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are already empowered to manage recovered assets and warned against the proliferation of government bodies.
Some lawmakers like Senator Isah Jibrin showed massive support for the bill, arguing that “there are leakages by agencies that recover these assets, and we need to block them through an independent agency.”
In spite of the opposition, the bill scaled second reading and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters for further legislative work and is expected to report back in four weeks.
Platforms Africa
