The Nation Newspaper

Tag: accountability

  • Group seeks accountability in government

    The Red Card Movement launched last week in Abuja has reiterated the need to promote transparency and accountability in government.

    The group also kicked off its phase one programmes meant to  educate and sensitize citizens on their voting power adding that it will mobilize up to 30 million Nigerians to register to vote, about two million citizens with uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to collect them and for all citizens with PVCs to come out to vote and protect their votes.

    The group said it would publish data from both local and foreign organisations that reflect evidential failure of governance and corrupt leadership in the last two decades, third party evidence on the streets from citizens that show governance failure from huge infrastructural gap.

    Speaking at the event, the convener of the group and former Word Bank Vice President, Oby Ezekwesili stated the aim of the movement was to “remove our nation from the hands of bad governance and corrupt leadership.”

    She reiterated that the idea was to remove the decadent class and to place a quality set of leadership at all levels nationwide – people who have character, are competent and capable. “The key idea is that we wish to elevate the citizens’ awareness of their position and role in our politics and governance.”

    According to a co-convener and co-chair of Secretariat of the Movement, Tony Akabuno, the purpose of democracy is defeated if only a few people who are eligible to vote actually exercise their right to do so.

     

    We understand that that there are many reasons for low citizens’ participation in elections and we are ready to encourage every eligible Nigerian citizen to register to vote,” she added.

    A key goal of The Red Card Movement is to increase the level of women and youth participation in the electoral process from 15 million to 62 million as well as target national legislative elections that are devoid of inducement and coercion.

     

     

  • Accountability, politics and diplomacy 

    Crazy  as  Nigerian  politics can  be at  times,  it can have its lofty  and edifying  moments. As  the film with that unique title-  ‘the  good, the bad  and the ugly ‘goes –  it can  be all  of these  and more. Today  we  look  at a   series  of events not only in  Nigeria but the world at large that  show that while   the morals expected  amongst  world leaders can  be of the highest  ethical  standards at most times occasionally they  fall  short  when  one least  expects.  We  tie  that with the saying in diplomacy  that in international  relations there  are no permanent  enemies  but  permanent  interests  and invoke   a popular   dictum in political  science that  says that  the morals amongst   nations cannot  be the same amongst  individual  leaders,  especially  in politics.

    We  start  with  the Nigerian  Senate which  this week  performed  the very  salutary  duty  of calling on   government  parastatals  to  render  their  audit  report  as required  by law  or face  the music of  legal  prosecution.  The  Senate according to reports  noted that only  ten  percent of the  over 400 public institutions  involved  have complied  and listed  a worrying long list  of various  periods  of non compliance  stretching   from  between one  to five  years.  More    alarming    was the fact  that the list contained  our powerful  anti  corruption  agency, the EFCC  and  the goose  that lays our golden egg, the  NNPC. Not  to talk  of many corporations  that  are supposed  to drive  our economy  and create jobs  and prosperity  for  Nigerians. This  is   aclear  case of   corruption,  institutional  irresponsibility,   lack  of  transparency and accountability   at  the  highest  level  and the government  should intervene. The reasons are obvious and the negative import of this should seriously bother government. If  government  institutions do  not render  audited  report and   accounts, as and when  due, then the  government  cannot claim  to be fighting corruption  as charity  should start  at home with public institutions  accountable  to government supervision, running  and  funding. It is not enough   or even    easy   to classify    or decry this as anti corruption forces fighting back  through  the Senate. This cannot fly. Auditing is part of government running of public institutions. Just  as corporate  bodies in the private  sector cannot  imagine  not  having Annual  General  Meetings and  audited  Annual  Reports,   it  should   be  a rule of thumb  for public institutions to  play ball  or  face  the wrath  of the law  for  negligence. Which  in   this instance  is not only  unpatriotic  and condemnable  but is also brazenly  criminal  in all  intents and purposes. Government  just  must  stop  this nauseating  situation.

    On  the international  scene we  look  at  the visit  of the Saudi  Crown  Prince to the UK  as well  as the visit  of the Liberian President  to Nigeria.

    First, in the  case  of the   visit to  Britain  of    Saudi  Crown Prince  Muhammed Bin Salman,  the British  government has shown  clearly  that in international  relations there are no permanent  enemies but permanent  interests. Protesters  were  busy in  London  condemning the visit  because  of the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in  Yemen  by  Saudi  jets propping up the government  in  Yemen  against Houthi  rebels who are Shia Muslims supported  militarily  by  Iran, Saudi  Arabia’s  implacable enemy  in the two pronged fight to get control  and leadership  of the Muslim  world as we know it today.  The  protesters  are   called ‘ Stop  the  war  Coalition ‘  and ‘Campaign  Against  Arms Trade ‘but  they  might  as well  be barking at  the moon.  This  is because  the UK  government  of  Theresa  May  is negotiating an arms and other business deal  worth over 100m  pounds  with  Saudi  Arabia  on this  visit.  The  UK  government  is not bothered  that this   is   an  unelected leader    in his thirties who  is  acting  for his   father who is  over  80  and  has seized  the powerful  levers of  power in  Saudi  Arabia  where  he locked  up  his cousins and fellow  princes in a luxurious hotel  in  Riyadh  recently, and did not release them until  they  paid huge amounts which  he alleged  they  embezzled    in his own   brand  of anti corruption  drive. The  British  establishment overlooked Saudi  politics  and its  peculiarities,  and rolled  out a royal  red  carpet  for the  Saudi  Prince  to  meet  the Queen  in person  and   the  PM  in 10  Downing  Street.  Such  is  the nature  of British  respect  for   leaders  of  nations that kill  innocent   civilians in war  and  such is the nature  of morals  amongst  nations being quite  different from those  amongst ordinary  human  beings, especially  when  juicy   contracts are  involved  in the face  of an uncertain Brexit  future.

    We  now  look  at the visit of the Liberian  President George Weah  to Nigeria   and  his  humble request  for  Nigerian  teachers  to  help  the Education  sector  in  Nigeria.  Let  me confess  first  that  I  have a soft  spot  for  Liberia  as  a nation  and a softer  heart  for  its new  president  as a  soccer  fan.  This  is because  Nigeria played  a major  role in bringing peace  to  Liberia  at a time  when the Nigerian  government  and military  dictated the pace and role of diplomacy  and even  force in maintaining  and   ensuring    the  security,  sovereignty  and territorial  integrity   of  not  only African states  in general  but that of the ECOWAS  sub region  in particular.  I  do  not want  to say  more  than that except  that the Nigerian  government of the day should help and grant  the request  of the   Liberian  government led  by   former  soccer legend, George Weah.

    With  regard  to  the Liberian  President himself,   I  say   again  that  I  admire him a lot  for   his   football  pedigree  and  success as the first  African  to win the European  footballer  of the  Year  award. I  nostalgically  and happily  recall  his soccer  success  with  the great AC Milan of  Italy   and  the pride  his exploits  gave  Africans as he  won honors  and laurels  amongst  the best clubs  and  giants of  European    soccer.

    In  Nigeria   his  equivalent  in my book  and for  my  generation,  was  my friend  and soccer  hero  Segun Odegbami, who   similarly   in  his playing days gave my  generation of football  fans so much  joy  and pride  with his runs and dribbles   for  the  Green  Eagles  at the National  Stadium  when it was really a  soccer  stadium  and not   the   rusty   event   centre   that  it is nowadays. Let  me once  again salute  the Liberian  President  George  Weah  and  wish  him a productive tenure  of office for  his nation  and   people. Once  again  long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • ‘Lagos conscious of electorate’s demand for accountability, equity’

    The Lagos State Government is aware that the electorate want a greater public sector transparency, accountability and equity, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has said.

    He made this known at the flag- off of a two-day Capacity Building Programme For Public Office Holders on, Deepening Capacity of Public Office Holders for Good Governance, which  held in Lagos. It was  facilitated by Festey Associates Limited.

    Governor Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training And Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson, said he also recogni sed that governance arrangements in the public services are keenly observed and often criticised.

    He said significant governance failings attract huge attention as they should and one significant failing can taint a whole sector.

    According to him, these  have necessitated his resolve to train and re-train public office holders in the state for the realisation of a lofty objective, which is to expose them to the practical application of various instruments and techniques of good governance, financial and funds management, sustainable revenue mobilisation models as applicable to the business of government as against traditional process of defining what the instruments and techniques are.

    Other reasons the governor recognised the enormous value that knowledge and skills training bring to bear on the attainment of the strategic objectives of the government is that public sector organisations are big businesses and are important to tax payers and service users.

    He stressed that the recent Federal Government’s initiatives to curb corruption, restore due process and respect for government procedures, rules and regulations, improve security by strengthening anti-terrorism, anti-kidnapping and anti-robbery, have shown the need to ensure that they meet the highest standards and that governance arrangements are sound.

    He said: “The Lagos State Government continues to demonstrate its total commitment to transforming the public service into an effective organisation that is repositioned to deliver value to the electorate by developing and deepening the competencies of public officers in order to take on additional and higher responsibilities.

    “At the end of this programme, it is our hope that delegates will also get the opportunity to understand the following elements of good governance and financial controls in public service”, he noted.

  • Council administrators advised on accountability

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has tasked local government administrators to uphold accountability and transparency in the administration of their respective councils.

    At a Two-Day Capacity Building Programme for Public Office Holders, Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pension, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, urged the public officers to demonstrate diligence.

    He noted that it was imperative for the public service to continue to improve to aid development.

    “Public service is the driver of all the major developments that we are witnessing in the state. The public servants are very important in governance because they have a lot to deliver for the tax payers,” he said.

    He said the essence of the programme was to deepen the capacity of public office holders to be able to replicate good governance in the grassroots.

    He expressed optimism that the training would benefit the officers in terms of understanding public service administration.

    “This programme is essentially designed to impact on you the knowledge of transparent government and government of inclusiveness,” he said.

    He added that his administration was poised to sustain the phenomenon of developments going on in the state.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr Muslim Folami noted that good governance required skills and dynamism.

    He said: “This exercise is going to be a continuous exercise for officers and career officers in order for them to operate productively.”

    He urged the officers to emulate Governor Ambode by following his footsteps in his quest to take good governance to the grassroots and transform the state physical infrastructures.

  • Leadership, accountability: Citizens’ role

    Being the address delivered by Femi Falana (SAN) at the 50th anniversary summit by Movement of Genuine Change in Ilorin to mark the creation of Kwara State

    Redirecting of the Wheel of Statecraft

    The level of poverty in Nigeria provides a fertile ground for the recruitment of the economically ‘un-captured’ to perpetuate wanton ethno-religious violence. The National Bureau for Statistics has stated that about 70 percent of all Nigerians are poor. The solution to this is to massively invest the material resources of the country on development and employment creation. This would mean that the economy is restructured and diversified, corruption is seriously engaged, and the commitment to development is true and central. Second, there will always be individuals that would benefit from divisions and national discord or secession of the country. In this regard, the security system of the state must be ready to arrest and punish this group of individuals.

    There is also the need to empower institutions. The problem with Nigeria is not the lack of institutions but the challenge has always been that the existing institutions have under-performed or have been hijacked, domesticated and used for certain group interests. Such institutions include the electoral body, police, media, judiciary, religious and ethnic based-bodies. The more these institutions are divorced from ethno-religious interests, the more they champion the quest for nation building. Fourth, there is the need for rule of law. Ethnic tensions and resentments would reduce when it is collectively accepted that politics and governance would be guided by the rule of law. Some individuals should not be above the law while others are subjected to the law. The Fourth Republic has been rightly described By Mr. Tony Momoh as de-democratisation rather than democracy.

    The government has a duty to educate and mobilise the people against centrifugal forces. The proponents of dividing Nigeria have always found it easy to list the challenges facing Nigeria such as corruption, poverty, exploitation, marginalisation and infrastructure among others. Yet, they have often failed to state how these realities would be engaged in the new states that they advocate. For instance, is there any critical reason to assume that there would not be exploitation and minorities in a Niger Delta state or in a Biafra? If it is true that some of the unscrupulous politicians that had benefited from the divide-and-rule politics in Nigeria, what is the certainty that they would not do the same in the new states? The ordinary Nigerians must be educated in this regard.

    Nigerians should also be mobilised against centripetal forces in a systematic way. The public must be sensitised to the dangers and consequences of balkanising the Nigerian State. What happens to federal institutions in each state? Where do the non-citizens of the new states go? How will they be catered for in their new states upon return? If they are not catered for, will it not generate another round of neo-secessionist plots in the new states? The answers to these questions should help government in its national mobilisation strategy which should state from primary to tertiary level and must permeate the informal sector. Indeed, the government and its agencies are equally guilty of sabotaging nation building through the implementation of dangerous and ill digested neo-liberal policies and programmes.

    A  dangerous suggestion on nation building was made by the late strong man of Libya, Colonel Maumar Ghadaffi had advised that for there to be lasting peace in Nigeria, the country must be balkanised along ethnic and religious lines. His thinking, largely based on the Huntingtonian clash of civilisation thesis that forecloses any possibility of building a collective national sentiment in a context where there is an on-going warfare and/or violence along the country’s fault lines that divides Nigeria’s Muslims and their Christian counterparts. Simply put: Ghadaffi believed that stability could only be achieved in Nigeria if the country is divided along religious line.  Although Gaddafi got it totally wrong, the task of nation building remains a challenge in Nigeria just as it was in the immediate years of independence.

     

    On the plan to sack

    the civilian government

    A few days ago, the Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai alerted the Nigerian people of the nefarious plans of a bunch  of desperate politicians to invite some members of the armed forces to terminate the democratic process. Although various civil society groups have warned against the dangerous plot, the media and officials of the Federal Government should stop playing into the hands of anti-democratic elements by giving the false impression that there is political instability in the country.  The enemies of democracy must not be allowed to exploit President Buhari’s ill health to truncate the democratic dispensation. In view of the ruination of our economy, the bastardisation of our politics and the devaluation of our national morality by previous military dictators, the Nigerian people must be prepared to reject the coming into power of another fake Salvation Army.

    Notwithstanding the glaring shortcomings of the fragile democratic process, the people should be allowed to take advantage of the democratic structures to effect change. Our bitter experience has shown that Nigerians have opted for political change through the ballot box and not through the barrel of the gun. On their own part the political class should put their house in order and stop inciting  potential coup plotters. While the decision of the Army Chief to alert the nation of the devilish plot is appreciated the authorities should proceed to fish out the coup plotters and their civilian collaborators  to try them for treasonable felony.

    In his last letter addressed to both chambers of the National Assembly, President Buhari disclosed that he was proceeding on medical vacation and that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) would coordinate the affairs of the state pursuant to section 145 of the Constitution. When a senator questioned the letter for not expressly stating that power had been transferred to the Vice President as Acting President he was called to order by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who promptly directed attention to section 145 of the Constitution. Notwithstanding the timely clarification made by the Senate leadership a section of the media alleged that there was a deliberate plan by a cabal to prevent the Acting President Osinbajo from standing proxy for President Buhari.

    However, in line with the letter transmitted to the National Assembly by President the Acting President has continued to exercise the powers of the President. It was therefore embarrassing when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was reported to have said that the government was not sure who would sign the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law. A presidential aide categorical stated that the budget would be signed by President Buhari. Once again, the attention of the Nigerian people has been diverted from the contents of the budget. The debate is whether the signing of the budget would be carried out by the Acting President or the President whenever he returns to the country. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the President may sign the bill in his hospital bed!

    Having regard to our recent experience when the budget of the Federal Government was forged by a cabal the legal status of the 2017 Appropriation Bill ought to be clarified. I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that once the President has transmitted a letter to the National Assembly that he is proceeding on vacation all presidential powers are automatically transferred to the Vice President who shall be the Acting President. Therefore, until the President writes another letter to the National Assembly at the end of the vacation he cannot exercise the powers of his office. In other words, the President is not competent to sign any bill into law while he is on vacation. The Constitution did not envisage that a President who is on vacation and an Acting President who is standing proxy for him will be exercising presidential powers simultaneously. To that extent, pending the resumption of duties by President Buhari, the Acting President, Professor Osinbajo, is competent to sign all bills validly passed by the National Assembly.

    In view of the way and manner President Buhari has invoked section 145 of the Constitution no aide should embarrass him by causing unnecessary distraction over his medical vacation. Whereas the Constitution allows the President to send a letter within 21 days before sending a letter to the National Assembly he has always transmitted a letter before leaving the country. It would be recalled that when President Buhari returned to the country on February 3, 2017, he directed the Acting President to continue to rule the country as he would not resume duties until three days later when he would inform transmit a letter to the National Assembly. If President Buhari did not exercise powers during his vacation even though he was in the country why would he want to do so while he is on medical vacation abroad? Henceforth, the debate over the President’s medical vacation should centre on the urgent need by the Federal Government to equip some of our hospitals to avoid the disgraceful practice of sending the nation’s leaders abroad for medical attention.

    And instead of dissipating energies over the competence of an appropriation bill signed into law by the Acting President, Nigerians should subject the 2017 budget to scrutiny. Analysis of the budget should not be limited to the National Assembly as the executive branch has equally made budgetary provisions for items that cannot be justified under economic recession. In spite of the nation’s economic recession the National Assembly decided to increase its 2017 budget by N149 billion. The National Assembly jerked up its own budget from N115 billion to N125 billion. Out of the budget the sum of N13 billion has been earmarked for entertainment, travels and transportation by the federal legislators. Other details included do not reflect the economic reality of the country.

    However, the National Assembly deserves commendation for publishing the details of its budget. But the resolution passed to increase the budget is illegal and unconstitutional as the exclusive power of the President to prepare and lay the budget was usurped by the National Assembly. In other words, the legislators illegally prepared some aspects of the budget, laid them before themselves and passed them without any reference to the President. In order to fund the scandalous budget, the Federal Government is shopping for a loan of $3.5 billion! I am compelled to call on the Acting President to refrain from signing the bill into law if the strange items are not expunged and removed by the National Assembly.

     

    Conclusion

    To cushion the effect of the economic recession, the Federal Government should restore the Peoples’ Bank to give loans to indigent citizens who cannot access loans in commercial banks. The Islamic Bank and others which are not going to charge interests should be established. In addition, the Federal Government should spend  the fund  recovered from corrupt public officers and their privies  on job creation and fixing of hospitals and schools as well as the funding of other social services.

    It has to be pointed out that the economy of the country cannot be transformed in favour of Nigeria on the basis of the dangerous prescriptions of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nigerians should therefore be prepared to challenge the recycled neo-liberal managers of the economy who continue to insist on the dominance of market forces which have been discredited by the crisis of global capitalism. The Nigerian people should be organised, empowered and mobilised through their unions, associations and collectives to rebuild the country.

     

  • Centre, others seek accountability in oil industry

    The Centre for Niger Delta Studies (CNDS), Niger Delta University (NDU) and other stakeholders have called for the strengthening of transparency and accountability in the oil sector.

    At a roundtable for Natural Resource Governance in Nigeria held recently by the centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, stakeholders lamented the appalling state of the sector especially lack of transparency in the award of Oil Mining Licences (OML).

    In a keynote address, the National Coordinator, National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spill in the Niger Delta (NACGOND), Dr. Edward Obi, said the country was in a period of both great expectations and disappointment.

    Obi said he was disappointed to discover that the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), a body established by the Act of Parliament to ensure accountability in the revenue receipts, had no documents in its websites.

    “There were no documents to be accessed; no reports of any kind to inform and educate the general public on proceeds of the oil industry.

    “We are, therefore, left simply to conjecture what quantity of oil  we actually produce and export daily, how much we get for it, and how much of that income goes into the public treasury, and is used for the improvement of infrastructure and the welfare of citizens.

    “All conjecture, in the face of numerous indictments of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries for large scale graft and serving as a conduit for siphoning the nations oil wealth into private hands, this is appalling. This is indeed a time of great disappointment”.

    Obi said that natural resources were creating political, social and economic tension because some areas were more endowed than others.

    “Closely related to the matter of ownership is the clamour for transparency, among others, in the award of oil Mining Leases (OMLs), production sharing contract (PSCs), Joint Venture (JV) benefit and burdens.

    “It is also on record that this state, Bayelsa, has suffered, and still suffers some of the  wrost environmental abuses imaginable. If there are better ways of conducting the oil and gas business without destroying the live of local residents, and  we know there are, why are these methods and technologies not being deployed here?” He said.

    In his speech, Prof, Fidelis Allen of the University of Port Harcourt, said the country had so far enacted 25 laws for the protection of the environment in the sector but regretted that the development had not improved accountability in the sector.

    But he said: “Nigeria needs an active civil society to ensure accountable and transparent governance in a troubled oil industry”.

    In his remarks, Prof. Ibaba Ibaba, a former Coordinator, CNDS, said corruption remained the most challenging issue in the oil sector.

  • Whistle-blowing: Building confidence, accountability in public spending

    For the corrupt and those with itchy hands for enriching themselves with public funds, it is no longer business as usual.

    The story of the country is changing from one where the system knowingly rewards unethical behavior and punishes ethical practices to where there is no hiding place for corrupt individuals or companies, being they local or multinational firms.

    This change came after the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, initiated and began the implementation of the Federal Government-driven Whistle Blower Policy. Under her leadership, the Federal Government unveiled the Federal Ministry of Finance- Whistle, a secure, online portal through which information bordering on violation of financial regulations, mismanagement of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud and theft that is deemed to be in the interest of the public can be disclosed.

    The whistle blowing policy, which came with rewards for the whistle blower, has recorded significant success in the last few months when its execution began. The objective is to broaden the attack on corruption by encouraging the general public to expose corrupt practices.

    The feedback so far is revolutionary as it is already broadening the attack on corruption by encouraging the general public to expose corrupt practices. The violations include, but are not limited to mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets; financial malpractice or fraud; collecting/soliciting bribes; diversion of revenue; fraudulent and unapproved payments; and procurement fraud (notably, kickbacks and over-invoicing).

    The whistle-blower will get between 2.5 per cent (minimum) and five per cent (maximum) of the recovered loot, provided that “there is a voluntary return of stolen or concealed public funds or assets on the account of the information provided.” Commenting on the domestic agenda to ensure significant reductions in ‘leakages’ of public funds, and improved efficiency in public expenditure, a source in the Presidency said:

    “The Federal Government is going after those who have stolen our hard-earned money. We have put in place a very successful whistle blower programme that is delivering results and allows those who report illicit activity to receive up to five per cent of any funds that we recover. We are also significantly improving our financial management controls to ensure that it is considerably more difficult for public funds to be diverted. We have to do more though.

    ” Just recently, $9.8 million cash was found in a secret bunker belonging to the former managing director of the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu. With this development, it seems that resources have been allegedly redistributed from the people into the pocket of one.

    The former aide turned whistle blower, who informed the authorities of the loot, argued that there are as many as three other bunkers – each with about the same amount of cash – that are yet to be discovered. Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed a residential building in the 7th Floor of a four-bedroom apartment at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne Road Ikoyi, Lagos, where a find of foreign currencies and naira notes to the tune of $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m was made.

    The EFCC announced on Facebook that they had received a whistleblower’s tip that someone had been moving bags in and out of the apartment. Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, said in an emailed report that these stories are just a tip of the iceberg compared to the many other cases of corrupt and unethical practices that go on in this country and which are rewarded if you have the good and common chance of not getting caught.

    “A major challenge to ethical decision-making is cognitive bias. Most people pride themselves on their ‘ethical and moral’ views on life and business without factoring human bias that may contaminate ethical behaviour and practices and produce unintended consequences.

    Overconfidence is a very important factor to consider as we get caught up on internal traits and incentives such as ‘I’m honest’ or ‘I can never steal’ and do not factor in the fact that when push comes to shove, human beings are capable of committing acts that are not first nature to them,” Rewane said. He therefore praised the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government, adding that it is paying off positively.

    He said that situational influences may skew ethical behaviour of people except there is ready punishment for defaulters. “For example, in government, a civil servant might be inclined towards unethical behaviour if everyone in his ministry is engaging in unethical practices. Undue influence from his bosses and peers might push him to go against his own ethical principles,” he said. Rewane said the key word here is trust.

    “I am less inclined to do business with someone in Rangpur Bangladesh who I’m not familiar with and might not easily have access to inspections and tests. The major force that propels me to incur the risk associated with international transactions such as this one is trust.

    What fosters trust is a solid ethical culture and framework irrespective of the location of the market and the product offerings in these markets,” he said. Explaining further, Rewane said: “If you give an average manager of a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), who has be conditioned to the ‘Nigerian way’ of doing things, the decision between doing the right thing or ‘saving’ your business from undue attention from regulator, the latter is the go to option.

    Doing the right thing will go a long way in ensuring longevity of the business. However, it may come with certain consequences that might be painful to the business in the short term. It ensures that the manager is free from any practices that may be used against him or his company in the future”. Michael Obinna, a Lagos-based civil servant, also commended the Federal Government on the whistle blower policy, adding that it will help businesses and civil servants to build an ethically-aware culture of conducting business that ultimately fosters trust in the sector as a whole.

    He said that previously, the Nigerian system allows those elected to office and those in charge of serving the public to fail their most important stakeholders, the Nigerian population because of loopholes in public expenditure. He however, said that Adeosun is fixing these gaps and that the whistle blowing policy are keeping all public officials on their toes. According to him, whistleblowers are encouraged and offered protection from harassment or intimidation by their bosses or employers.

    “The hope is that more looted funds will be recovered through the encouragement of voluntary information about corrupt practices,” he said. He said the policy selling points include the possibility of increased accountability and transparency in the management of public funds. It is also expected to ensure that more funds would be recovered that could be deployed in financing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.

    The channels for reporting information and the type of information to be reported indicated that anyone with “authentic information about violation, misconduct, or improper activity which can impact negatively on the Nigerian people and government” should report it through SMS text message and email. In the final analysis, it is hoped that the more accountable the government becomes, the higher will be Nigeria’s ranking on the indicators of openness and ease of doing business.

    The ultimate goal is to develop a corruption-free society and attract more and more foreign investors.

    •Ewulu, a financial consultant, works with Lagos-based Angelstege Advisory Services Ltd

  • Buhari vows to return Nigeria to past years of accountability

    Buhari vows to return Nigeria to past years of accountability

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday restated the determination of his administration to restore the country to the “good old days of accountability”.

    Speaking at a meeting with the Director, Global Upstream of Shell Oil Company at the State House, Abuja, Buhari said he will leave a legacy of improved infrastructure, particularly in the power sector, and also ensure better security in the Niger Delta.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said: “It is only by doing this that investor morale and confidence will return, and the economy will be positioned on the path of growth,”

    Commending Shell for their faith in the economy and staying power, he gave assurances on some issues of concern raised by the company.

    On the protracted issue of cash calls, the President assured that the Federal Executive Council will soon consider a proposal for the easing of unpaid arrears owed by the government.

    He said that the security of oil infrastructure will continue to be prioritized side-by-side with dialogue with the stakeholder-communities in the Niger Delta.

    The President, however, urged oil companies to take more responsibility in the protection of oil installations to complement the efforts of Nigerian Navy in the region.

    In his remarks, the Shell Director, Mr. Andrew Brown, informed the President of the resumption of oil exportation through the Forcados terminal following its restoration.

    He called for continued protection by the Nigerian Navy in view of repeated threats of attack by militants.

    Brown commended the anti-corruption posture of the Buhari administration and the efforts to streamline and stabilize the economy for long term projects.

    He said that all the efforts will go a long way to reinforce Shell investment plans in Nigeria.

  • Accountability will take Nigeria out of recession – Amosun

    Accountability will take Nigeria out of recession – Amosun

    The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun on Tuesday said that the quickest way out of the recession in the country is accountability.

    He pointed out that everything will collapse if all Nigerians in different fields are not held accountable with what they do.

    The governor spoke on the topic ‘Accountability, A collective Responsibility’ during the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) 46th Annual Accountants’ Conference in Abuja.

    The governor said: “If we have to quickly get out of the recession we found ourselves, we all must be accountable.

    “If we are not going to be held responsible for our actions, then everything will collapse.

    “We must be ready to adhere to world best practices.” He added
    Noting that the ICAN has been up and doing, he pointed out that not all Nigerians have been following the accountability norm.

    Presently, he said that the private sector is doing more accountability than the public sector.

    Even though Nigeria is facing tough times, he said that Nigerians must be ready to face the challenges.

  • Legacies, accountability and learning leaders

    The  US 2016  Presidential  Elections provide  the fulcrum for  today’s analysis and discussion. My  research  has  narrowed  down to one opinion on performance  legacy and two different opinions on the qualities  and expectations  of  the two US  presidential  candidates. I  intend to  use my  musings and conclusions  on these  issues  to  look  at  the things that world  leaders generally  and Nigerian  leaders  in particular  can  learn from  the concepts  of  legacies,  accountability and  learning  on  the job  by  leaders,  that  I  will  unravel   today.

    It  was  widely  reported  this week  that US  President  Barak  Obama told  a high  powered  caucus  of Black  US  leaders  that  he  will  feel personally  insulted  if  blacks  do  not  go out   to  vote in the November 2016  US  presidential elections  and allow  Donald  Trump  to succeed  him  as president. That  throws  up  the issue of  legacy, which  really  is the Obama  legacy  which  is the main platform  of the campaign of  Hillary  Clinton, the Democratic  Party’s  candidate in the  presidential  elections. On  this I will  illustrate  with an  opinion article  in the CNN online   titled  –  Clinton  Needs to Stop  Taking a Knife  to  a Gunfight.

    The  issues  of  accountability  and  leaders  learning  on  the  job emanated  from  another opinion published  by two  retired  US generals  who believe  very  much  in  Donald  Trump  and have written  a well  publicized  essay  titled  – Donald Trump,   the  Man  Who  will  take us forward. The  kernel  of their  argument  in the essay is  that   Donald  Trump  has  been branded  as lacking in leadership  experience  and  will  have to  learn  on  the job and  they  see  nothing wrong in that. In addition the generals  defended Donald  Trump’s last  minute change of his  campaign  managers on  the ground  that he  like  some  former  great US  presidents   holds  those  who  work  for  him  accountable  and can  change  them  if  they  do  not live up to expectations.

    Let  me now  go  back  to the issue of  the  personal  insult  that  President Obama would  rather avoid which is the election of Donald  Trump  to  succeed  him  as the  next  US president. I  really  think  that Obama  has  personalized  the  issue  unnecessarily  and  has  taken  the black  community for  granted as  his terrain or  backyard  in  which  he  has  absolute loyalty .But  certainly  the  recent , rampant  shootings  of blacks   by  the Police  and the attendant  deafening protests and  indignation of black  Americans, during   and towards   the end  of    his  presidency   should  be a loud and resonant  personal  insult  that  he should  have sorted out  in the eight  years  he  has served  as the first   black  US  president. To  now ask  blacks  to  vote  for  his  legacy on their    insecurity,  and lack  of safety of their  lives  and  property  is a tall order  which  needs  to  face   the reality   of  the racial  taunt  of  Donald  Trump  repeated  this week  again  that  blacks  have never  ever  had it  so bad  as  in the outgoing  Obama Administration. Which  then  is the greater  insult for  blacks – voting for  Hillary  and the Obama legacy  and continue  to  be sheep  being led to the altar  of  more  Police  bullets  and killings or trying  an  unknown  even  if  more  dangerous approach  that  holds  out  the promise  of  a new life?   Certainly  no  matter  how  beholden  blacks  may  be to  the Obama legacy there  must  be  some doubts  as to the  efficacy  of  that loyalty  in terms  of their  security  of  life  and  property  and  human  dignity. This  resentment  is  well  articulated in  the  statement  of  the black  sportsman  who  recently  said  that he  will  not  stand up with  pride  to  salute the flag  of a country which kills  blacks  and people  of  colour. Definitely  the insult  to  the flag  here and now is far  greater  than  the personal insult  that  Obama  wants to avoid.  Yet they  are  both  sides of  the same  coin  and  he  can  not  disown  that coin  either.

    Rather  than  going blindfolded to battle  with the Obama legacy, Hillary Clinton  is well advised to  heed  the advice inherent in the essay  titled ‘Clinton  Needs  To  Stop Taking  A Knife To A Gun fight ‘ The  title  of  the essay speaks  for itself in terms of the need  for a more pragmatic strategy   by the Clinton campaign  strategists . The  essay was written  by John  Macteman, a former  speech  writer  to  Tony Blair and Australian  PM, Julia  Gillard.  Macteman  referred Clinton  to  the success of Brexit in the  UK where  the Remain  Campaign  that he followed  lost  to the  Brexit call. He said  facts  didn’t  matter   in  the  UK  EU  referendum  as  emotions  trumped reason  and that the same would  be replicated  against  Hillary  by  Donald  Trump  if  the  Democratic  Party does  not  counter  the polemics  and  eccentricities  of the Donald Trump  campaign which  is being  viewed  as normal  by a largely estranged  and anti  establishment  electorate  similar  to the Brexit  success  in the UK EU  referendum.

    With  regard  to the  Trump  Presidential  campaign,  retired  Lt –General  Keith  Kellog, NSA  for  Donald  Trump  who  served in Vietnam  and  Europe  and Michel  T Flynn  who is  Special  Adviser to  Trump  and former  Chairman  of  the US Military  Intelligence  Board,  wrote  that the  US needs  a change of  leadership  from  those that have led it since  1975  and that  Donald  Trump  is the answer. They  contend that  global insecurity, Islamic  Militancy,   and  the scale  of  migration  to the west  by   Muslims were created  by the  sort of establishment  that  Clinton  represents  and  to  which  Trump is an  outsider. They  insist  that leaders  have learnt  on the job  like  JFK  and  that Presidents  like Abraham  Lincoln  who  won the  Civil War  have had  to change their  generals  on  the eve of great  battles  because  they  believe in making those serving them  in  being  accountable  for  their  actions. They  believe  that Donald  Trump  can  learn  fast  on the job and is quite capable  of  making his team  accountable. Something  they  believe  Hillary  is  incapable  of.

    In  effect  then no  matter on whose  side  you  are   on this US  Presidential election  certain  issues  cannot  be wished  away  by  the two  candidates  and  their  campaign  teams. In  addition  the  rest  of us  outside  the US  have  a lot  to  learn.  The  North  Korean  leader  of today  is  a  good  example of  a leader  who  inherited  a legacy  of  dictatorship and is not  accountable  to  anybody while his government  officials are absolutely  accountable  to  him. The  new  Filipino  leader  and president  had  a legacy  of  killing drug  traffickers  and  extra judicial  killing  in the town  where  he served  as Mayor.  Yet  the good people  of  Phillippines  elected  him  as  president  and  he is continuing  his legacy  nationally  while  the West  groans  in  agony  at  blatant  violation  of  human  rights.

    Benjamin  Netanyahu,  Israels’  PM boasted  to  an  empty  hall  in  the UN  on  Israel’s  cutting edge  legacy   of   superiority  on military  intelligence,  human  capital  and  information  technology  which  he said are  being  largely  used  and patronized  by  those  who  left  the General  Assembly  of the UN  this  week  when  it was Israel’s  turn  to  speak.  He said  that  in  a desperately  thirsty  world Israel  has recycled  its  water  waste  for  human  consumption  and  cannot  be isolated  by  even its  adversaries who  need  such  technology in their  hostile  environments.

    Even here in Nigeria, the legacy of the Jonathan  Administration  is in tatters  even as  the Buhari  government  tries  to  create  its  own  legacy   and is navigating  the  tricky  and dangerous straits  of  recession  while Nigerians are running  out  of patience  as  to when their  lot  will   start  to  improve  so  that they can  enjoy  the dividends  of democracy. Our  own  Presidential system  of democracy is under  great  stress  because  there is  no  love lost  between the executive  and  the  legislature.  But  the presidency has  a better  legacy  based  on the  integrity  of the  president. The  legislative leadership  lacks  this due  to  internal  institutional  strife   and  mutual  distrust  in the lower  house and corruption charges  against the leadership of  the Upper House. There  may  be no elections till  2019 but  the whiff  of  change which  has  not  materialized  after  the 2015  elections is  drifting dangerously  towards a reenactment   in the next  elections.   Unless  of   course,   the  dividends  of  the last  promise  manifest  as  quickly   as promised.  Once  again, long  live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.