TUC condemns independent probe of AfDB president, Adesina

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned the recent call for an independent investigation into the allegations against the African Development Bank President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

The move according to the TUC President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, is an attempt to question the integrity and entire governance system of an institution that has served its members well for over 55 years.

Olaleye said that since AfDB is a regional bank, non-regional member countries of the bank should not be allowed to form a clog in the wheel of the progress of the continent.

The TUC president however, said that Africa must rediscover itself if it wants to avert the looming economic crisis of post COVID-19 era, just as he called on African leaders to rise up and defend the continent.

“By this development, we are tempted to believe that there is more to the whole issue. What more can we say, if the report of the AfDB ethics committee clearing Adesina of all allegations of corruption and favouritism is being rejected?

“We sense an outright breach and violation of a process which may disrupt activities of the bank if allowed to fester.

“Why is this coming up at a time Dr. Adesina is seeking re-election? These intrigues must stop. It beats our imagination that the US being one of the oldest democracies with absolute regard for due process would champion such a call.

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“We call on African leaders to rise up and defend the continent for once. Let us assume we were ignorant when the territory was being partitioned in 1884-5; posterity will not forgive us if we allow another one in the 21st Century.

“We shall all blame ourselves if we do not rise up to defend what remains of the continent. Our institutions are being hijacked and we are folding our arms! It is unfortunate.

“The time has come for Africa to stand for something. Yes, we must rediscover ourselves now if we want to avert the looming economic crisis post COVID-19.

“How long are we going to wait to discover that Africa has come of age? Colonialism came and succeeded. Neo-colonialism is still with us, but we are rejecting outright imperialism. And this is exactly what this intervention is all about,” he said.