The Nation Newspaper

Tag: corruption

  • Corruption, ethnicity Nigeria’s real enemies, says Osinbajo

    Corruption, ethnicity Nigeria’s real enemies, says Osinbajo

    •Adeboye dedicates Ecumenical Centre 

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday identified the elite, corruption, ethnicity, religion and other parochial interests as the real enemies of peace, unity and development of Nigeria.

    Speaking at Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the dedication of a 10,000-seater Ecumenical Centre built by the Governor Seriake Dickson administration, he said the country was standing on a threshold of the most significant moment in history.

    The edifice was dedicated by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, amid prayers and thanksgiving.

    It was done in the presence of clerics, including ex-President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Orisejafor.

    About 15,000 persons, including dignitaries from all walks of life within and outside the state gathered inside and under canopies on the premises to inaugurate the worship centre described as one of the best in Africa.

    American gospel singer and multiple award winner Ron Kenoly as well as other singers entertained the crowd.

    The vice-president, represented by the Chaplain of Aso Rock Chaplaincy, Pastor Seyi Malamo, said the country had been presented with the greatest opportunities to build and become Africa’s largest economy not only by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but also in efficiency and productivity.

    “The building being inaugurated today is the house of God. We stand on the threshold of perhaps the most significant moment in the history of Nigeria. It is a time for economic challenges, ethnic and religious tension. I say that we stand on a threshold of the most significant moment in our history, a time to build.

    “It is a time when by sheer grace of God, we have the greatest opportunities to build and become not just Africa’s largest economy by GDP, but also the most efficient and most productive.

    “By 2050, Nigeria will be the fourth largest nation by population in the world and we can like China also become one of the most 10 successful economies in the world.

    “This is our best moment because we have shown that despite the lowest earnings from oil in the last 15 years and in 2016, we can still build and be involved in capital projects. How is that possible? It is by the grace of God and a commitment to build.

    “We have shown that as difficult and painful as recession may be, we have the capacity to come out of it and begin the building of an economy that emphasises productivity and will provide enough jobs. We are in the pains of childbirth and we will soon experience the same sweetness and joy of childbirth.”

    Osinbajo said corruption, ethnicity, religion, parochial tendencies and the attitude of the elite remained a hindrance to progressive moves.

    He said the attitude of the elite was one of the biggest problems of the emerging new Nigeria, as they were always thinking alike, regardless of their political, religious and tribal leanings.

    To build a new Nigeria, the vice-president advocated new men and women of all faith and ethnicity committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard work, justice and patriotism.

    Pastor Adeboye described the building as magnificent. He prayed for Dickson and his wife, who knelt before him.

    The cleric said despite his busy schedule, he came to Bayelsa to dedicate the centre because of his love for the state.

    Dickson said the building was erected as an interdenominational place for Christians.

    The governor signed the Ecumenical Centre Management Bill 2017, which was given accelerated hearing and passed into law by the House of Assembly.

    He appointed Mr. Dotimi Amatare as the chairman of the management board.

    Dickson thanked the lawmakers, led by Speaker Kombowei Benson, for passing the bill. He enjoined the management board to preserve the edifice and make it available for Christians.

     

     

     

  • Corruption and the media

    It is obvious that the core value for the establishment of the media has completely changed over the years. Before now, media’s motto was to educate people and bring out the issues in front of the government and compel them to think over them seriously in favour of common man. But the nexus of democracy has empowered media in a very different way. Today, some of the media organisations are behaving selfishly. They are working more as the tool for creating publicity stunt by great politicians, capitalist and other great celebrities. They have lost their power and value and are evolving more as entertainment channels than news channels.

    It is expected that the operation of the media should be in concomitant with the code of ethics of the profession. But today, the fifteen codes of media ethics are being violated. Among the compounding issues that permeated ethical violation in the media is lack of proper care among journalists. In an ideal situation, journalists should be able to compete with some of their friends who hold big position in the government or who are working elsewhere apart from media organisations. However, the opposite seems to be the case.

    It is on record that some of the media practitioners are living a life of hand-to-mouth. Journalists are been sent to cover events from different places without proper care, no money for proper feeding, no good accommodation, lack of gadgets and above all lack of take home package in form of salaries. Some media organisations don’t even pay their staff on time. For Christ sake, how do you expect them to perform their job diligently? When they have not eaten well, their brain is blocked, they are not thinking straight and because of that psychological disposition, they feed  the public with fake news and lies as a result of their inability to do what is called proper investigative journalism.

    There is no doubt that there is corruption in the media. In their day-to-day routine, journalists do take bribes to write or suppress stories, sometimes they are biased, they favour certain politicians over others as the list is endless. This call for the guardians themselves to be guarded; the media cannot have that authority if they themselves are tainted with corruption.

    In order to make ends meet, some journalists naturally find corruption inevitable. A bribe here, an extortion there; a bit of fraud today and a kick-back tomorrow which will keep bread on the table and also ensure that the journalist can afford to pick his bill at the bar every evening after a drink with friends.

    This is very unfortunate as the responsibility of media is not less than the ruling government. As the media is growing in the democracy, they are taking the advantage of democracy for their own benefit. They are becoming selfish and forgetting their work towards the nation.

    Apparently, lack of an efficient legal regulatory framework is possibly part of what fuels corruption in the media today. Even though there are some press laws that prohibit corruption in form of bribery, still the problem is growing at its very best. To be honest, media operations are undermined by the absence of legal mandate that would transform its decisions into categorical imperatives, which would have been more useful.

    To this end, Nigeria’s media will definitely want to get back to the drawing board and assess the direction it is taking. There are those that will need reminding that journalism, beyond being a job or a business, is actually a noble calling, the practice of which must transcend financial or political considerations. And the doctrine of social responsibility needs to be re-birthed in the soul of journalism, if integrity is to return to this profession. Thus, if there is nexus between corruption and the media, who will watch the watchdog?

     

    • By Aondover Eric Msughter

    Department of Mass Communication

    Bayero University, Kano.

    Email: Aondover7@gmail.com

  • Corruption and the health sector

    Corruption and the health sector

    SIR: The recent revelation by the wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on the deplorable condition of the Aso Rock Clinic, Abuja is quite disturbing. As the matriarch of the nation’s first family and its chief caregiver, Mrs Buhari owes her family the sacred duty of ensuring that their well-being and healthcare needs are met at the state house health facility in the Aso Villa.

    Mrs Buhari’s exposé affirms the widely held notion that all is not well with the nation’s health sector. If the state house clinic, which is supposed to be primus inter pares among other health facilities in the country is not better than a glorified consulting station, one can only imagine the dire straits other hospitals are in. When this is weighed alongside the recent strikes by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), as well as the imbroglio between the Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewoye, and Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, our health sector might soon enter a state of shock.

    The allegation of fraud and other disreputable issues emanating from the Ministry of Health, following the suspension of Professor Yusuf by Professor Adewole deserve some scrutiny. The NHIS boss, who was suspended over allegations of fraud and abuse of office, was quick to counter the action, describing it as a witch-hunt. He alleged that he was suspended because he refused to grant several monetary requests from the Federal Ministry of Health.

    It is instructive to note that such allegations of corruption, official recklessness and unethical conduct among parastatals, agencies and committees in the health ministry are not new.

    The Buhari administration must begin to walk its talk in its fight against corruption by cleansing the Federal Ministry of Health. The president’s antecedents in fighting corruption raised expectations from Nigerians on his ability to deal with the social malaise, upon resumption of office, and revive the economy from the ashes of accumulated monumental corruption. Of course, there have been promising signs in this regard but the expectations are yet to be fully met. Therefore, the present situation in the Ministry of Health and government-owned health institutions is a litmus test for the anti-corruption crusade.

    The House of Representatives Committee on Health Services should extend its investigation to every department of the ministry and refer any criminal finding to the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies for prosecution. All those named and implicated in the allegation should be made to face the full wrath of the law. Also, efforts must be made to ensure that there is strict adherence to financial regulations in cooperation between MDAs and other arms of government and their parastatals.

    The allegations of corruption in the nation’s health sector are too grave to ignore, considering the critical nature of services it provides and thus should be given serious thoughts and met with firm actions.

     

    • Rasheed Adegeye, Abuja.
  • ‘How corruption kills power sector’

    ‘How corruption kills power sector’

    The Nigerian power sector has been faced with several challenges leading to reform initiatives. In spite of the provisions of  the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, the reform is yet to yield desired and/or anticipated result, largely owing to corruption and impunity of perpetrators, regulatory lapses and policy inconsistencies. The country has also lost more megawatts in the post-privatisation era due to corruption, impunity, vandalisation of gas pipelines, among others.

    A report titled: “From Darkness to Darkness”, published by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), estimated total financial loss to Nigeria from corruption in the electricity sector, starting from the return to democracy in 1999 to date, as being over N11 trillion of public funds. It also estimated that it may be over N20trillion in the next decade in view of the rate of government’s investment and funding in the power sector, amidst the dwindling fortune and recurrent revenue shortfalls.

    The 64-page report by SERAP traced how corruption has been institutionalised in the power sector.  The organisation revealed how Nigerians are being made to pay for electricity not consumed as a result of high level of corruption that has pervaded the sector. It further revealed the fact that lack of knowledge and recognition of socio-economic rights have continued to rob Nigerians of major requirement that is key to socio-economic development.

    Aside from the Executive Summary on various corruption cases and recommendations laid out in 16 pages of the report, there are eight chapters, which addressed topical issues bordering on corruption. Each chapter is very thorough in its approach to corruption that has become endemic in the power sector over the last 16 years.

    Although SERAP made concerted effort to establish the nature of corruption in the power sector, not all the cases listed could be established due to lack of documents to back them.

    Part one of the report showcased the fact that Nigerian power sector has been faced with several reform initiatives due to the nature of the Nigerian state, which is characterised by a confluence of factors. It noted that economic interests, political forces, capitalists’ entities and other bureaucratic institutions determined and influenced the nature of the power sector in Nigeria. It said these absurdities manifest vividly in crippling the much-hyped electricity sector reforms in the country. This, it said, was the reason the power sector reforms in the country under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 is yet to yield desired or the anticipated results, owing largely to corruption, regulatory lapses and policy inconsistencies. Even though almost any form of energy, from tides, flowing water, wind, waves, steam, and water rising from geysers and sunlight, among others, occurring in nature, can be converted into electricity, it is a settled matter that the importance of energy to the country led to the ineluctable need for the reform.

    The organisation’s preliminary, general findings and the nature of corruption in the power sector are contained in part two of the report. The report identified the power sector in Nigeria as standing next to oil and gas in proximity to corruption , in view of the overwhelming evidence of institutional improprieties in the sector and more for the fact that electricity is the most widely used form of energy in the country..

    According to the report, the structural arrangement under the current electricity regime makes for the perpetration of institutionalised corruption due to over-centralised governance arrangement. This further justifies the arguments for decentralised electricity governance systems.

    According to SERAP, corruption in the sector manifested through fraud, moral turpitude, misappropriation of funds, acquisition of illegal wealth and offering, giving, soliciting or acceptance of an inducement or reward that may influence the actions taken by any authority, its members or officers.

    Its findings also revealed that the power sector has a history of corporate fraud and financial malfeasance ranging from theft, false accounting, bribery and corruption, deception, collusion, and taking advantage of deficiencies in the regulatory regime.

    The group further identified other types of corruption in the sector, which includes power or electricity theft by end-users, who consume power and circumvent billing or tap into electricity from a Disco illegally without paying bills for such electricity consumption.

    This form of corruption is rampant among low-income electricity consumers in Nigeria. According to the report, more than one-tenth of Nigerian households and companies pay one form of bribes or another for electricity services. Theft of electricity, it noted, thrives with the support of utility staff, consumers (acting individually or in powerful groups), labour union leaders, political leaders, bureaucrats, and high-level utility officials. “Almost every operation in the Nigeria electricity sector is vulnerable to theft, be it generation, transmission, or distribution,”the report said.

    It also noted that it happened because the DISCOs have been unable to adequately bill or collect minimum amount of revenue required for their operations for varied reasons, and have resorted to difference means of survival, ranging from borrowing, taking advantage of government subsidies, deferring payments, over-billing paying customers, reluctance to install pre-paid meters and other corrupt means.

    The report also revealed thatv members of staff functions fell prey to corruption due to politicians’ interference in routine personnel decisions such as recruitment, transfer, promotion, and disciplinary action. The group also found out that petty corruption in the electricity sector has become a recurring phenomenon and it has eroded the work culture of the utility sector through extortion or harassment of consumers among other illegal dealings. Although SERAP was not able to back its findings with reliable data, it contended that rough estimates by industry experts showed that the amount involved in the so-called petty corruption was significant.

    Part three of SERAP’s report revealed how corruption thrived under the various Power Ministers between 1999 and 2015. The report revealed that policy inconsistencies had fueled corruption and ineptitude in the power sector. Except for the late Chief Bola Ige and Rilwan Lanre Babalola, whose tenure were not accused of corruption. The tenure of other four ministers, according to the report, were alleged to have been involved in monumental corruption, running into billions of naira and several millions of dollars. While the research was  unable to locate any documents, reports or any official or unofficial document alleging corruption on the part of the late Chief  Ige and Babalola while they served as the Minister of Power and Steel, the same cannot be said of other ministers.

    SERAP’s report also looked at the dispositions, achievements and failures on the part of past Ministers of Power from 1999 to 2015 with a view to ascertaining whether the problems are the sector itself in terms of its nature or complexities or inherent greed, incompetence and corruption attitudinal dispositions of the Nigerian political class/actors.

    In the second part of the report were reported but outstanding cases of corruption in the power sector under the period covered either by Commissioners of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)  or officials of the Ministry of Power and Steel. In all, a total of eleven cases of corruption were  reported by SERAP with the most outstanding of them being the outrageous salaries received by some members of the Abuja DISCO.

    According to SERAP’s findings, a major labour crisis had unfolded at the Abuja Electricity Disco over an alleged fraudulent allocation of outrageous salaries and perks to a few officials. While a privileged few drew as high as N36 million a month from the public liability company that is operating on deficit, majority of equally qualified and even more critical members of staff absorbed from the previous government-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, allegedly received peanuts.

    After PHCN’s privatisation, the government retained substantial stakes in the distribution companies, including the Abuja DISCO, which means the government is entitled to part of the profit. But this must happen only after the operation cost of the company, comprising overhead and personnel cost, are deducted. Surprisingly, for about four years, the company recorded only losses instead while at the same time paid outrageous salaries to a select few.

    The research, in respect of this particular case, revealed a situation where the highest paid director takes home N36 million a month, while a staff with Ordinary National Diploma (OND), takes home as high as N1.9 million monthly. The select few earn jumbo perks, majority of the key staff retained from PHCN are paid peanuts – between N50, 000 to N150, 000.

    Further findings by the organisation revealed for instance, that apart from discriminatory salaries paid to about 3,658 workers on the company’s payroll in 2013, the partly-publicly owned AEDC was also allegedly engaged in consulting house of fraud and corruption.

    According to the report, “research reveals monumental fraud and corruption in the company’s payroll traceable to an agency, TBS Consulting, hired to handle staff recruitment in 2014.  TBS consulting was hired by the Executive Director, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Tolulope Mark-Ojie.  Ms. Mark-Ojie hired Yusuf Mosunmola, one of the directors and a key member of the TBS consulting management team, as Head, Organisational Development & Learning for AEDC, and then allowed her to continue to function simultaneously in both positions.

    According to SERAP, “a director revealed in a document that all the contract staff recruited by TBS Consulting for AEDC had “special arrangements” with Ms. Mark-Ojie on how the salary penned against their names would be split. Quoting: “Not all the salary actually gets into their (contract staff’s) pockets,” Mr. Okaisabor explained. “The contracting firm has some personal arrangement to get part of the money paid to them as salaries by the company. The practice is that the contracting firm gets the money from the company and pays the staff. Most of the names found on the company’s payroll are either non-existent or belong to persons who work directly for Madam’s (Ms. Mark-Ojie) other companies”.

    “The staff said the special arrangement must have been in connection with allegations that at least 60 per cent of the salaries credited to most of the high earners on the company’s payroll every month goes to Ms. Mark-Ojie.

    “Some of the names on the AEDC payroll, which raised eyebrows were those of two contract staff hired in 2014 and posted to the Lokoja District office. They include Akanku Olusegun, a National Diploma holder in Electrical, and Higher National Diploma (HND) (in view), who is paid N823,764 per month.

    “Adesulu Adebayo, another National Diploma holder in Electrical in the same office, who takes home N764,097.60 salary every month. Curiously, several of their colleagues in various district offices with either similar qualifications or superior university degrees of many years’ standing, are paid a paltry N50,000.

    “Ms. Mosunmola brought in from TBS Consulting, remains one of the highest paid officials, who pockets a whopping N1.84 million pay every month. This is in addition to the N27million and another N10 million paid to her as furniture allowance and accommodation respectively, aside from the obvious challenge of conflict of interests by working for AEDC and TBS Consulting simultaneously,” the report alleged.

    Another segment investigated was the attempt of the NERC, being the regulators, to increase electricity tariff while a suit seeking to refrain the act was pending at the Federal High Court.

    According to findings, a consumer right activist, Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi had  sued the NERC on its decision that it wanted to increase the electricity tariff. The suit  instituted against them for the intended act at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice M. B Idris. But while the action was pending in Court and a subsisting restraining order was obtained against them. Despite the pendency of the suit, NERC still went ahead and increased the electricity tariff.

    In his judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris had annulled the increment in electricity tarrif by NERC and DISCOs.  The Judge described NERC’s action as procedurally ultra vires, irrational, irregular and illegal. Justice Idris, while relying on Sections 31, 32 and 76 of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2005, held that, “NERC acted outside the powers conferred on it by the Act and failed to follow the prescribed procedure.

    Justice Idris had also held that the tariff increase from July 1, 2015 was done in breach of the status quo  order. The Judge also declared that the NERC’s action was clearly hasty, reckless and irresponsible. “This country is in a democracy where the rule of law shall prevail over impunity or whimsical desires. Anything to the contrary will be an invitation to anarchy. It is the law that what is done officially must be done in accordance to the law,”he said.

    The judge declared that “the increment in electricity tariff, which took effect after the institution of this action and while a restraining order is subsisting is hereby declared illegal and same is hereby set aside”.

    He also directed the NERC to reverse to the status quo while restraining it from further increasing electricity tariff.

    Similarly, following SERAP’s intervention, two United Nation’s special rapporteurs had ruled in November 2013 against the increase in electricity tarrif in a joint letter of concern sent to the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan and to the effect that “access to electricity is a significant problem in Nigeria”,  and raised eight questions for the government to answer within 60 days.”

    But in spite of these landmark judgments of the court and the decision of the rapporteurs, neither the Federal Government, the NERC nor the DISCOs had taken steps to reverse the tariff.

    There were other celebrated cases of corruption in the power sector, including that of the diversion of public fund for the purchase of 47 SUVs allegedly bought by a former Permanent Secretary of the Power and Steel Ministry for the campaign organisation of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the alleged misappropriation of money meant for Rural Electrification Agency (REA) by a former Senate Committee chairman on power and his House of Representative counterpart, among other undocumented corruption in the sector.

    The report identified other problems of the sector to include low power generation, increased tariff without corresponding increase in power supply, a distorted electricity market, poor gas supply and vandalism of gas pipelines.

    There were also challenges in the creation of new electricity markets, lack of proper regulation of Gencos and Discos, lack of competition, lack of capacity  building and insufficient technical experts in the industry”, among others.

    Based on its findings, SERAP no doubt, has provided grounds why  Nigerians should not be made to pay the price for corruption in the electricity sector and the major reason for the darkness in which the nation has been plunged. To ensure this, the organisation devoted the last four chapters of the report to providing appropriate and well thought-out recommendations and what needed to be done by the government, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and different anti-corruption organisations to reverse the situation and makes the power sector work for us in Nigeria; where possible, with detailed documents to back its allegation of corruption against certain individuals and organizations.

    SERAP also provided the government and other related partners with a workable report, detailing the rot in the electricity sector, but most importantly, made useful recommendations to the office of the AGF, the Federal Ministry of Justice and appropriate agencies such as the EFCC, the ICPC on what cases should be revisited and investigated to ensure that those who stole from the sector does not escape justice. The report also contained recommendations to state governments, citing items 13 and 14 of the Second Schedule, Part II, Concurrent Legislative List,  on what they should do to ensure that residents of their states enjoyed uninterrupted power supply.

    But all these recommendations and initiatives of SERAP to government, the AGF and anti-corruption agencies, will come to nought unless the government and all relevant agencies, the DISCOs and Gencos play their respective roles to ensure that sanity is restored to the power sector and that those who put the  nation into darkness through corrupt activities do not escape justice.

    To say the least, the report is well-researched, well-documented and well-written, thus making it easy for the government and anti-corruption agencies to know what to follow and should be done to save the electricity sector and the economy.

     

     

  • Corruption: Buhari losing at home?

    SIR: If you follow the game of football, you are probably familiar with the concept of home advantage: some human, psychological and tactical variables that positively affect home team performance and negatively affect the visiting team. In the English Premier League, for instance, home teams are said to have more than 64 percent chance of victory over visiting teams. For stronger teams, the percentage may be higher. Where am I going with this?

    A few days ago, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, at an event at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, lamented the state of the health facilities and service delivery at the State House Medical Centre (SHMC). According to her, she was sick at a time and had to seek medical attention at a privately-owned hospital. She really wanted to buy Naija to grow Naija, but the inadequate facilities and poor services at the SHMC would not allow her. While Mrs. Buhari was kind enough to, at least, seek medical attention in the country, President Buhari could not risk doing so when he was sick. He chose Britain. Fortunately for the first family, poor Nigerian taxpayers were able to foot the president’s medical bill. How sweet!

    If we recall, in the 2016 Appropriation Bill, N3.8 billion was budgeted for the State House Clinic. Many Nigerians reacted to the budget for being too elitist. However, as one would expect, Abuja had their way. “The budget,” according to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; “should be seen in the light of the administration’s plan to improve medical facilities at home as a way of discouraging overseas trips in search of treatment by citizens which eat away from our foreign exchange.”

    Using Garba Shehu’s logic, Mrs. Buhari’s lamentation and the consequent rants of her daughter on social media are particularly important. First, they cast a broader light on the state of healthcare in Nigeria. Second, they foreground Buhari’s inability to effectively manage national resources and tackle corruption – even when it is happening in his backyard. If the president, for example, does not know about the impact of government’s budget in the Villa, who will care about the government-sponsored projects in far flung places?

    One would expect a president who came to office  on the promise of waging total war on corruption – irrespective of how you operationalize the term –  to, among other things, be on the lookout for the slightest signs of corruption under his nose. Surprisingly, the President seems to be unbothered by some of the issues we (his wife and daughter included) wail about.

    These are significant questions and knowing that it is possible President Buhari did not know about the corruption going on at the SHMC is troubling. How the men and women of the SHMC are winning on Buhari’s home turf beats me. If we complicate this reality by putting the Baru-Kachikwu saga into the mix, the picture gets more troubling.

     

    • Ola Oladipo,

    Awe, Oyo State.

     

  • Corruption: 55 people stole $6.2bn – Lai Mohammed

    Corruption: 55 people stole $6.2bn – Lai Mohammed

    •Buhari’s adviser asks Patience Jonathan to come clean

    Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed says 55 people may have stolen   about $6.2 billion public funds from the country.

    He gave no names of the culprits, listing only projects which government could have executed with a third of the funds, if recovered.

    Mohammed spoke on an Al Jazeera as part of a feature on the vast properties acquired in the UK with stolen funds by Nigerians.

    According to the minister, $2.06billion of the alleged stolen funds would have built 600 kilometres of roads, 37 hospitals, 20,000 housing units and trained 4000 kids from primary to university level.

    The corruption problem was also the subject of discussion on the Facebook wall of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie yesterday.

    Onochie aimed darts at former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and ex-Petroleum Affairs Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke for what she called their weird demands.

    Her words: “It’s the season of weird demands. Recently, Nigerians were assaulted by the demand by the wife of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to “Tell EFCC to leave her alone.”

    “Fat chance! EFCC is an institution, not an adulterous man running after someone else’s wife. “So, woman to woman, I asked her to look inwards. Patience should wear the sort of aura that dispels, rather than attracts law enforcement agencies.

    “She can start by being honest and coming clean, regarding everything – cash, properties, etc., that were ill-acquired. Then hand them back to the rightful owners. Yes, back to Nigerians via the EFCC.

    “You see, EFCC, ICPC, DSS, CCT, all follow the smell of crimes. If she does not have suspicions of criminal activities oozing and buzzing from and around her, there’s no way she’ll be dragging President Buhari to commit impunity by ordering EFCC to leave you alone.

    “But there again, she’s been busy swatting the bees, she had no time to see that her husband’s reign of impunity, ended many moons ago.

    “But that’s not the end of the story. And then, there’s Diezani Alison- Madueke.

    “She too, wants something. She wants to return home. Remember she’s in the UK for medical purposes. Remember the photoshopped images her image launderer plastered all over the tabloid and the Social Media?

    “Diezani is over 18 years old. That makes her an adult. She dusted her passport and flew out of this country, Nigeria.

    “She had concluded plans to run off to a Caribbean Island to live off the blood money she stole, not hauled from the poorest and the most vulnerable citizens of this nation.

    “She had no idea that she had become attractive to the British authorities, and had been in their view since 2013.

    ” You see, these women, who own choice properties and obese bank accounts they do not need, across the world including Nigeria, had the best of opportunities to improve the lives of Nigerians, especially those who suffer health hazards from environmental degradation in the bowels of the Niger Delta where these two come from.

    “If they cared not about their immediate environment, why would they bat an eyelid that environmental issues in the Lake Chad Basin were fuelling Boko Haram.

    “The adage that what a man can do a woman can do better, has never been proven more by anyone than Diezani Madueke.

    “The forfeitures the Nigerian people have been awarded against Diezani, the pending and on-going corruption investigations and cases, are a testimony that this woman, who was elevated to the status of a goddess by ex-President Jonathan, has cases to answer, from UK to USA, Italy to the Caribbean.

    “Why Mrs Madueke suddenly developed an urge to return home, is not clear. But many Nigerians think it’s not unconnected to the perceived cash and carry criminal justice system in Nigeria.

    “But she’s probably not aware that the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Onnoghen, has vowed to clean up the judiciary.

    “But there might be those judges who would be tempted by the mouth watering inducement that flows from the bottomless pit of Diezani Madueke’s haulage.

    “May I remind Mrs. Madueke that a certain (Rtd) Admiral Alison-Madueke, warned President Muhammadu Buhari to leave his wife alone. May I also remind Diezani that Nigerians assume that she is that wife that the retired naval officer warned the President about.

    “Now that she has been left alone, if she needs to return to Nigeria, she will also need her husband to threaten President Buhari to come after her, Hahahahaha…

    “Dear Sis, in the meantime, you should make yourself comfortable in the UK. Attend to your criminal trials going on there. When found guilty, happily serve your jail term because it’s just the beginning.

    “Then when you are done, repeat the same process in America and then in Italy. If you are still alive by then, you should then be retired to Nigeria, to begin the same process that will ultimately lead you to your retirement home. You have a choice between Kirikiri and Kuje, among other prisons. Till then, it’s Goodbye Diezani. You aren’t coming home soon!”

     

  • Cleric urges end to corruption

    The Diocese of Ido-Ani, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Ondo State has decried what it called the ‘pervasive’ corruption in Nigeria, even as it called for total eradication of the menace.

    However, the church praised the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling the problem.

    In a statement at the 2nd session of the third Synod of the Diocese held at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Ido-ani in Ose Local Government Area, Rt. Rev Ezekiel Dahunsi also condemned the ‘worsening’ state of security, rampant kidnapping and incessant attacks of

    farmers by herdsmen.

    According to the Synod, the Federal Government should step up action aimed at stemming the tide. It also urged the government to expedite action in revitalising the agricultural sector.

    It supported the efforts of various Christian groups towards restoring the teaching of Christian Religious Studies in the secondary school curriculum.

    Besides, the Synod faulted the attacks on innocent Christians in Southern Kaduna, urging both the state and Federal Government to bring perpetrators to book in order to avert re-occurrence.

    It also urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to govern the state with the fear of God and provide good governance for every citizen without discrimination.

    On workers’ welfare, the church implored Akeredolu who is also an Anglican communicant to prioritise payment of salaries and pensions, explorations of bitumen for development of the state and creation of employment opportunities.

    The Synod advised the state government to focus more on agriculture as an agrarian state to provide food security and employment opportunities.

    It prayed for the total recovery of President Buhari to enable him to serve the nation diligently.

    Dignitaries from within and outside the state attended the Synod session hosted by Venerable Gbenga Oniye of the Lagos West Diocese.

    The sermon at the thanksgiving service was delivered by the Bishop of Ogbomoso Diocese, Oyo State with the theme “Prepare to Meet Your God”.

    The next year Synod of the Diocese will be hosted by the family of Mr and Mrs Femi Bayode of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Ido-Ani.

  • Making courts for corruption cases work

    Making courts for corruption cases work

    The National Judicial Council (NJC), under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has been praised by stakeholders for creating the Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO). This came after the CJN ordered the creation of special courts for corruption cases. How best can the committee, headed by the former Court of Appeal President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, achieve its tasks? Lawyers offer suggestions. ERIC IKHILAE writes.

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) on September 27, set up the Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO) to monitor the handling of corruption and financial crimes-related cases in the courts.

    NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye, said in a statement that the decision to establish the committee, its composition and functions were agreed during the council’s 82nd meeting on September 27.

     

    Members of COTRIMCO

     

    The COTRIMCO, according to Oye, has 15 members, with retired President of the Court of Appeal Justice Isa Ayo Salami heading it.

    Other members are four serving state Chief Judges; the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN); four ex-NBA presidents; three members of the NJC, including its secretary; a representative each from the Federal Ministry of Justice, civil society and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

    The Chief Judges are: Justice Kashim Zannah (Borno State); Justice P. O. Nnadi (Imo); Justice Marshal Umukoro (Delta) and Justice M. L. Abimbola (Oyo State).

    The four ex-NBA presidents are: Chief Wole Olanipekun, Olisa Agbakoba, Joseph Daudu and Augustine Alegeh (all Senior Advocates), while the three members of the NJC are its Secretary, Gambo Saleh, Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN), and Mrs. R. I. Inga.

     

    Its functions

    According to Oye, the COTRIMCO, which will drive the NJC’s new policy on the anti-corruption war, has as core functions:

    • Regular monitoring and evaluation of proceedings at designated courts for financial and economic crimes nationwide;
    • Advising the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on how to eliminate delay in the trial of alleged corruption cases;
    • Giving feedback to the Council on progress of cases in the designated courts, conduct background checks on judges selected for the designated courts; and
    • Evaluating the performance of the designated courts.

     

    Why COTRIMCO?

     

    Oye said the committee’s creation is informed by the renewed zeal of the judiciary’s leadership to eliminate delay in the handling of corruption and financial crime cases and ensure an effective criminal justice administration.

    The CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, reflected this new zeal when he acknowledged public concern about the slow pace with which the court was handling corruption and financial crimes-related cases in an address at the event marking the commencement of the 2017/2018 legal year on September 18.

    Onnghen assured the gathering that it was no longer going to be business as usual, announcing measures to be adopted in the new legal year to address delay.

    Among such measures is his directive to heads of courts to ensure the designation of some courts as special courts, solely for the trial of corruption and financial crime-related cases. For Supreme and Appeal courts, the CJN directed them to set aside a day every week for the hearing and determination of appeals from such cases.

    He also directed court heads to compile and forward to the NJC comprehensive lists of corruption and financial crime cases being handled by their various courts.

    Who is Justice Salami?

    Justice Salami, no doubt, elicits different personalities, depending on what side he is being viewed from.  While many see him as a courageous, pious and incorruptible judge, some think otherwise, citing the confusing circumstance under which he exited the Bench.

    Justice Salami was born on October 15, 1943 in Ganma, in Kwara State. He obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) at the Provincial Secondary School, Kano in 1963. He bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1967 and was called to Bar on June 28, 1968, after the mandatory Law School training.

    He began his career as a Collector of Customs and Excise Grade II, and in 1971 was transferred to North Central State Public Service Commission, where he served as State Counsel Grade II.

    Justice Salami later became the Acting Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice, Kaduna before he was deployed to Kwara State in 1976 as a Senior State Counsel, where he later served as Acting Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Ilorin till 1978.

    He later became a judge and was, in 2009, appointed president of the Court of Appeal, to succeed Justice Umaru Abdullahi. He later had a disagreement with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, over the handling of Sokoto State governorship election dispute.

    On August 2011, the National Judicial Council suspended him on the grounds of his alleged refusal to apologise to the then CJN, who headed the NJC’s panel, which found him to have lied against the NJC.

    Aside the indefinite suspension handed him, the NJC also recommended his retirement to President Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan agreed to suspend him, but did not retire him.

    On May 2012, the NJC reversed itself and recommended his immediate reinstatement by the President, a recommendation Jonathan disregarded. Justice Salami did not return to the Bench until he retired on October 15, 2013 at the mandatory age of 70 years.

     

    Observations

     

    COTRIMCO ‘s creation, since it was announced, has attracted varied views. While a number of people welcomed its creation, others have queried its necessity in the face of the NJC. They also faulted its composition.

    Those, who believed that the committee was necessary for the realisation of a speedy and an effective criminal justice system, were of the view that a committee to monitor the trial of high-profile corruption and financial crime cases was desirable.

    They argued that, with such a committee  peopled by highly-qualified and accomplished legal minds, most judges, who hitherto were not keen on giving such cases the diligence they required, now have no option than to sit up.

    It has equally been argued that the calibre of individuals on the committee will discourage bad practices among lawyers because of the fear of being identified and sanctioned.

    There is also the view that the committee, aside acting as an agent of the NJC, is in a better position to advise the CJN and the NJC on inadequacies in the process of criminal justice administration.

    Supporters of the initiative also argued that COTRIMCO is in a position to identify other measures to be adopted for the achievement of the goal of prompt disposal of corruption and financial crime cases, particularly those involving high-profile defendants.

    A Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akin Oyebode, hailed the COTRIMCO initiative, which he observed will reassure people of the state’s commitment to the anti-graft war.

    At a roundtable organised in Lagos by a group, Social-Economic Rights and Accountability project (SERAP), Oyebode said the designation of special courts to handle cases of corruption, in addition to other existing anti-corruption measures, were pointers to the government’s resolve to aggressively confront corruption.

    He stressed the importance of speedy determination of corruption cases, and noted that “by effecting prompt and adequate sanction against acts of malfeasance, the anti-corruption crusade would win new and more committed converts among the population”.

    Also, Prof Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN) commended the CJN for COTRIMCO. He said the committee was highly welcome, adding that the CJN had done the right thing.

    Akinseye-George said the creation of the committee reflected the determination of the leadership of the judiciary to ensure that trial of corruption cases was not business as usual.

    He added: “There is a determination on the part of the CJN to make a mark on the sands of time He wants criminal cases, especially the high profile ones, to be fast-tracked. “If we had this kind of committee in place before now, I know that by now, many of the cases that have been hanging since 2003 would have been resolved.”

    He continued: “He has chosen very eminent people, who understand the workings of justice system; people like Justice Salami, who was known as a progressive judge; Chief Wole Olanipekun and J.B. Duadu,” Prof Akinseye-Goerge, who heads the justice sector reform advocacy group, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS).

    Akinseye-George faulted the argument that the committee was a replication of the duties of the NJC, which is mandated to monitor, supervise and discipline judges.

    To him, COTRIMCO is like a stop committee of the NJC, which is acting on its behalf. He added that the involvement of senior and highly-responsible lawyers as members of the committee showed that the CJN intends to respect its voice. “It shows that the CJN believes that the Judiciary needs support from the private bar,” Akinseye-George said.

    On the flip side, however, are those who queried the committee’s importance and its composition.

    The first point raised by critics of this initiative is that its existence raises to two the number of agencies saddled with the responsibility of monitoring judges in the country.

    They argued that the creation of a separate body to monitor judges was an indication that there are judges, who need to be monitored for them to do their job, and an admission that the Bench is populated by incompetent or uncommitted judicial officers.

    Critics further contended that without necessarily saying it, the headship of the judiciary has, by the creation of a body to monitor judges, admitted that it has lost hope in the ability of the judges to act independently and exercise their discretion.

    This, they noted, is a fatal admission on the part of the managers of the judiciary that, over the years, they have recruited incompetent and uncommitted individuals to fill the Bench.

    They argued that rather than creating multiple bodies and committees to do nothing, but monitor judges, efforts should be directed at addressing the problems associated with judges’ recruitment process.

    Critics asserted that if the point of entry for judges was sanitised and judges’ appointment process made public for enhanced scrutiny, they would be able to ensure that known bad members of the private Bar did not find their way to the Bench.

    They noted that the current recruitment procedure, which is shrouded in secrecy, devoid of merit and driven mainly by nepotism, partly accounts for why the judiciary was recently labelled (in a survey by the National Bureaus of Statistics) as next to the police in the rank of corrupt public institutions in the country.

    Another issue raised by the critics of COTRIMCO is its composition. They argued that the choice of Justice Salami as its head is a veiled admission by the NJC that it was wrong in penalising the then President of the Court of Appeal on allegation of indiscipline.

    Critics particularly queried the choice of former NBA presidents, some of who are currently defending the majority of corruption and financial crime cases pending in most courts nationwide.

    For instance, Daudu is said to be involved in the defence of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, who is named in three major cases relating to money laundering and corruption. The cases are before the Federal High Court, Abuja and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Also, Olanipekun has featured in the defence team of a chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dokpesi, in his money laundering trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    To the critics, the inclusion of private lawyers, whose clients are currently involved in the cases their committee are to monitor, is tantamount to handing a life goat to a famished lion.

    They urged the CJN to first address the issue of possible conflict of interest that may involve some members before the committee commences operation.

    Akinseye-George agreed with this point when he said the lawyers on the committee, who may be involved in the defence of high defendants, should now know that they have a new role to play.

    He said: “In other words, they cannot be monitoring what they are involved in. They can no longer defend clients in anti-corruption cases. They can do other cases, but not representing clients in the anti-corruption cases, otherwise, they will be disqualified for being on that committee. “

    To enable the public measure the committee’s performance, Akinseye-George argued that there was a need for a set of rules to guide its function, so that the people could judge its members based on the rules

    He also canvassed the inclusion of more representatives of the civil society in the committee.  He said one or two individuals, who have been working on justice reform should be included.

    Akinseye-George said: “The only person that we can see in that category is probably, Olisa Agabkoba. We need people, who understand what we call development lawyering. Such a person should be a known voice, a leader in development work; somebody who has been involved in promoting reforms in the justice system.”

    Another lawyer, Dr. Abdulaziz Mohammed, agreed with Akinseye-George that it was wrong to include  lawyers, who are defence lawyers in corruption and financial crime cases, which COTRIMCO is to monitor.

    Mohammed said: “I support the CJN for trying to reform the Judiciary. But the fault is in the composition of the committee. There are some people, who are not supposed to be there.

    “Some former NBA Presidents on the list are currently defending the people accused of corruption. For them to be required to monitor the judges handling these cases is confusing. How do you explain that? The past NBA Presidents should not be there

    “The CJN and others in NJC should have looked for people who are not actively involved in these corruption cases, like law professors in schools or retired judges/justices,” Mohammed said.

    Director of a group Access to Justice (AJ) Joseph Otteh suggested the declaration of a state of emergency in the judiciary. It argued that, while the creation of special courts for corruption cases was good, no case was more important than others.

    He noted, in a statement, that several suspects had spent years in detention due to delays.  It added that according high-profile cases priority, while other cases that border on human rights were left to suffer, should not be allowed.

    Otteh said: “Monitoring of courts should not be limited to high-profile cases involving the rich alone. Let reforms be across board. Let it be for all cases pending in court, not just for corruption cases.

    “The Chief Justice of Nigeria said Chief Judges of states had been directed to create special anti-corruption courts. But if judges of these courts have to be away for about three months each year, not counting other ‘no-show’ days, we may not see the expected changes in the time taken to conclude corruption cases.

    “Let us bear in mind that there are already designated courts in various states handling corruption cases, but it does not appear that these courts have achieved their designed purpose.

    “The judiciary can begin by saying that judges handling anti-corruption cases should not go on extended holidays like other judges, but arrange their own individual vacation schedules. There are countries that already do this. This will give a ring of urgency to the anti-corruption role of courts,” Otteh said.

  • ‘Prioritise security, shun corruption’

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has urged newly-appointed secretaries, chief of staff and other aides to give priority to security and shun corruption.

    Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the appointees, Bello harped noted on the need for security of life and property, as well as ensuring that government is alive to its responsibilities.

    He charged the appointees to get fully acquainted with the direction and priorities of the administration and to familiarise themselves with basic public service rules and government procurement guidelines.

    Malam Bello last week appointed Adamu Abubakar Bappah secretary for Area Council Services Secretariat; Hon. Nzekwe Stanley Ifeanyichukwu (Agriculture and Rural Development); Senator Isa Maina (Education), and Mr Amanda Pam (Health and Human Services).

    Other Secretaries are Mr Muhammad B. Umar (Legal Services); Oladimeji Ali Hassan (Social Development), and Kayode Opeifa (Transportation Secretariat).

    Also appointed were Umar Shuaibu, coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC); Isiyaku Tanko Yamawo, coordinator, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD); Ibrahim Damisa, Managing Director, Abuja Broadcasting Services.

    Mohammad Bashir Mai-Bornu was appointed Chief of Staff to the Minister; Dr. Bala Mohammed Liman, Senior Special Assistant on Finance and Economic Matters; Olafusi Emmanuel Tosin Esq., Senior Special Assistant, Legal and Multi-lateral Cooperation; and Abubakar Muhammed Abdullahi, Senior Special Assistant, Information Communication Technology.

    In the same vein, Isa Dara Bwari, Chika Alexander Nwatu and Abu Zarr Sulaiman Ribadu were appointed Advisers on Community Relations.

    The minister disclosed that the next two years of the administration

    would witness massive infrastructural development in the satellite towns and rural areas of FCT, while education, health and ICT would equally be given priorities in this phase of development.

    “Similarly, we are committed to making Abuja Smart City,” he said.

    “We also aim to achieve a one-stop shopping centre for the administration’s services, especially in the area of revenue generation.

    “As you take over the reins of office, you must keep in mind the commitment of this Administration to deliver a secure environment and observe zero-tolerance to corruption. This also involves the overriding need for security of lives and property as well as ensuring that government ia alive to its responsibilities.

    “The next two years will witness massive infrastructure in the Satellite Towns and rural areas of the FCT. Other areas of priority in this phase of our development initiative include education, health and ICT, among others. Similarly, we are committed to making Abuja a Smart City”.

    Commended Abuja’s founding fathers and continued support of members of the National Assembly, Bello noted that funding was critical, especially for resettlement of original inhabitants to give way for development.

    Coming barely two years to the end of the administration, the Minister explained that it was in a bid to restructure, refocus and strengthen the FCTA bureaucracy that he delayed appointment of the secretaries, chief of staff and political aides.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Dino Melaye, in his remarks appreciated the Minister for the “very wise appointments”, adding that the appointees would “no doubt bring back the lost glory of the FCT”.

    Pledging the support of the National Assembly, Melaye urged new appointees to “assist the Minister to continue with the good work he is already doing, to ensure the Abuja Master plan is maintained.

    “We want to see the impact of your appointment immediately. We want to see a clean FCT because we have no other FCT to call our own.”

    Responding on behalf of the appointee, Chief of Staff to the Minister, Mohammed Bashir Mai-Bornu said that they considered their appointments as opportunity to serve Nigerians.

    Noting that they were aware of the enormity of the expectations form the people, Mai-Bornu promised to work hard to actualize the vision of the Buhari administration.

  • ‘How to ensure corruption doesn’t kill Nigeria’

    ‘How to ensure corruption doesn’t kill Nigeria’

    Akin Oyebode, Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence, University of Lagos, at a roundtable organised by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Lagos yesterday warned that “If drastic measures are not put in place urgently to contain it, corruption might ultimately result in the mortality of Nigeria as a nation-state”. Excerpts of his paper titled Strategies for Mobilising Mass Action to Demand Anti-Corruption Reforms and an End to Impunity for Grand Corruption in Nigeria.

    The people must be enlisted in the war against corruption. Nigerians should start anti-corruption clubs in schools, radio jingles should be put in place to fight corruption, carry placards, go outside, organise sit ins like SERAP is doing presently, Nigerians should be mobilised against corruption and now take their destiny in their hands. The fight should not be left alone to organizations like SERAP and when the State want to attack organisations like SERAP, the masses should fight for them.

    The recent attempt by the National Assembly with the NGO bill to control, monitor and eventually sequester CSOs all because of the excuse that some CSOs are corrupt should not be allowed. Cutting off the head is not the cure for headache, the bill is an overkill. If they cage organisations like SERAP, who will fight for the masses. The government do not want anybody to act as impediment to their thievery activities.

    Corruption is now thriving more than ever before, despite the ongoing fight against it. However, international law has really helped with a plethora of laws against corruption, it now behoves on citizens to take advantage of this laws to fight against corruption.

    It is not enough to have fanciful anti-corruption laws. More important is the need to get the generality of the popular masses wedded to the crusade in order to make it a success. The reticence and lethargy of our people generally would need to be confronted. Without the cooperation and collaboration of generality of the people, the anti-corruption bodies might end up little more than paper tigers.”

    The legality or validity of the anti-corruption war is not in doubt. However, the practical implementation of the relevant laws is fraught with considerable difficulty, not least, the extent to which the generality of the populace is at one with the government. Jurisprudentially speaking, validity is a question of imputation while efficacy is more a matter of fact or causation. Accordingly, it is imperative to consider the role of the people in relation to the struggle to contain corrupt practices.”

    It is on record that Nigeria has a set of anti-corruption laws reflecting the will and intention of the government to battle the virus to the hilt. However, the efficacy of anti-corruption legislation coupled with judicial pronouncements and conviction and sentencing of corrupt elements would require the complement of mass action and commitment arising from general awareness and resolve to collaborate with on-going efforts. Inevitably, government action in this regard must be undertaken for the anti-corruption struggle to bear fruit.

    Buhari, Oyebode and Magu

    It is hardly an exaggeration that corruption has leveled, perhaps, the most virulent attack on Nigeria’s bodypolitik. Despite all the hue and cry over the debilitating consequences of corruption on the country’s socio-political fabric, it is sad but true that the virus has continued to fester in leaps and bounds. The sad situation today is that despite its pernicious nature, corruption seems to have found a comfortable nest in the lives and consciousness of many of our people, thereby giving the false and erroneous impression that Nigerians have generally accepted it as a fact of life.

    To the extent that Nigerians take the saying that there is no free lunch literally, the culture of the customary gift or dash, jara, egunje, etc has been internalised among the population so much so that there is little surprise if and when a Nigerian evinces corrupt practice in the form of bribe-taking, over-invoicing and kindred under-the-table dealings. There are even popular sayings approving of all manner of unjust enrichment at the point of duty.

    In a country where a president could once declare that stealing was not corruption, the most important Commandment would seem to be the Eleventh: Thou shall not be caught or found out!

    In Nigeria, there is a plethora of laws against corruption and related manifestations of the “ugly and unacceptable faces of capitalism.” Aside from the Criminal and Penal Codes, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 laid the ground rule for combating the odious crime.

    The establishment of the ICPC, EFCC and Code of Conduct Tribunal as well as promulgation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act and designation of special courts to handle cases of corruption in addition to the establishment of a scheme for whistle-blowers and witnesses protection are clearly pointers to the resolve of the Nigerian government to aggressively confront the ogre of corruption.

    Perception is an important factor in the efficacy of law generally. Therefore, a lot of work still needs to be done concerning the extent of popular understanding of requisite anti-corruption legislation and appreciation of the commitment of the government to its anti-corruption programme and policy. This necessitates broad mass enlightenment on the various laws with a view to eliciting the understanding, support and collaboration of the masses of the people.

    The people must be made aware of the nexus between corruption by the political leadership and their niggardly circumstances. Once they realize that misappropriation of the nation’s resources by leaders at various levels leads to their impoverishment, their approval and support for all measures adopted to contain graft and unjust enrichment within the polity become pretty well assured.

    The people must be enlisted in the war against corruption by encouraging them to engage in mass action through their participation in mass rallies, street demonstrations, public debates and writes-up in the mass media against corrupt practices. More anti-corruption clubs need to be organized in the schools and higher educational institutions to collaborate in waging the anti-corruption struggle.

    However, it would seem that no better encouragement and sensitisation against corruption exist more than the palpable resolve of the government to take decisive action against those who have been proved to violate the laws and social ethos against the odious and unwholesome practice of corruption. By effecting prompt and adequate sanction against acts of malfeasance, the anti-corruption crusade would win new and more committed converts among the population.

    Religious bodies, churches and mosques should not be left out of the anti-corruption crusade. The leaders of religious organisations should be encouraged to be at the vanguard of the campaign against corrupt practices, more so as they exercise tremendous influence and impact among their various congregations.

    It is my considered opinion that the effort to contain corrupt practices should no longer be seen as just that of the government. Of equal if not, in fact, more important role is that of society which need to be on the same page if the anti-corruption war is to succeed. Admittedly, no country has been able to wipe out corruption in its entirety but there examples of countries where the vermin has been curtailed to its barest minimum.