The Nation Newspaper

Tag: corruption

  • Anglican Communion calls for eradication of corruption

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

    It called for total eradication of the menace without any sacred cow.

    The church however lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling the problem.

    In a charge delivered 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, the Diocesan,Rt.Rev Ezekiel Dahunsi also condemned the ‘worsening’ state of security, rampant kidnapping and incessant attacks of farmers by the herdsmen.

    According to the synod, the federal government should rise up in stemming the tide and arrest the situation in its effort at revitalising agricultural sector.

    It supported the efforts of various Christian groups in drawing the attention of government in giving the pride of place to restore the teaching of Christian Religious studies in the secondary school curriculum.

    Besides, the synod faulted the attacks on innocent Christians in southern Kaduna, urging state and federal government to bring perpetrators to book in order to avert reoccurrence.

    It urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to govern the state with the fear of God and face the serious issue of providing good governance to every citizen without discrimination.

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

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

    The sermon at the thanksgiving service was delivered by the Bishop of Ogbomoso Diocese, Oyo state with the theme “prepare to meet your God”.

  • ‘Attack on EFCC’s office is audacity of corruption’

    ‘Attack on EFCC’s office is audacity of corruption’

    The Nigeria Labour Congres (NLC) has described the recent attack by gun men on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC) Abuja office as an “audacity of corruption. The NLC, threfore, urged the commission and other related agencies to beef up security on their premises and personnel.

    It also charged the commission not ot succumb to intimidation, rather to do all necessary to secure the organisation.

    In a statement  signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, he noted that the organisation needed technical support to build its forensic capacity without which cases would be lost or drag on indefinitely in court, thus, exposing the personnel to danger.

    “We also find it necessary to call on the government to give the commission the requisite support, including the setting up of dedicated courts for speedy disposal of corruption cases,” he said.              Wabba said the recent attack the battleground from the court room to the streets, and should be condemned by all those who love the country.

    According to him, the attack was intended to deter operatives of the EFCC from carrying on to a logical conclusion their ongoing investigations/prosecutions.

    He said: “In light of an earlier attack during which an operative sustained injuries, this cannot be a lone incident. Indeed, we see it as the new phase of corruption fighting back.

    “While we are not insensitive to the manifest danger in this new phase of corruption fighting back, we urge the commission and its operatives not to succumb to these desperate tactics or intimidation.”

    Wabba stated that Labour had no doubt that the resort to violence showed that those behind the attack have come to their wits’ end.

    In a related development, the NLC has taken a swipe at the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay, over his call to move workers minimum wage law from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.

    Wabba stated this in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, after the launch of the congress’ annual Rain School Programme.

    Wabba said the PACAC chairman has neglected the work of the committee he has been saddled with but ventured  into an area that he has scanty knowledge about.

    The NLC boss accused Sagay of not delivering on the Committee’s Mandate of taming corruption in the country, urging him to focus on that assignment rather than making suggestions outside the purview of the committee.

    Wabba said that a country that pays its workers poorly can never reduce corruption to the barest minimum, stressing that even a layman knows that poorly paid workers would not be in a position to resist corrupt tendencies.

    He said that Nigerian workers would resist any attempt to move the Minimum Wage Law to the concurrent list because other nations’ minimum wage is a national issue in their constitutions.

  • NJC faults UNODC/NBS report on corruption in judiciary

    NJC faults UNODC/NBS report on corruption in judiciary

    •Council admits existence of ‘some bad eggs’

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) has faulted the report of a survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) listing the Judiciary as the second most corrupt public institution in the country after the police.

    The UNODC and NBS, in the report titled: ”Corruption in Nigeria: Bribery – public experience and response,” released in Abuja on August 16, said it found that the public service is the most corrupt sector in the country, with law enforcement agencies, particularly the police and the Judiciary being most susceptible to corruption.

    NJC, in a statement yesterday, said although there were few bad eggs in the Judiciary, the institution has consistently taken necessary steps to curb corrupt practices among its personnel.

    In the statement signed by its Director, Information, Soji Oye, the NJC queried the criteria adopted by the UNODC and NBS in arriving at their conclusion.

    It said the concussion was not only subjective but speculative.

    Part of the statement reads: “The question that should agitate the minds of the people is the criteria used by the UNODC and the NBS to measure the level of bribe taking in the judiciary to grade it as the second largest receiver of bribe.

    “For instance, what is the percentage of judges caught receiving bribe out of a total number of 1,059 judges in both the federal and state judiciaries? What is the percentage of magistrates caught taking bribe from an estimated total number of 4,000 in the country?

    “How many judges or magistrates have been arrested and/or prosecuted and convicted of corruption till date to deduce such conclusions? One then wonders the criteria used by the organisations to arrive at the conclusion.

    “There is no denial of the fact that there are few bad eggs in the judiciary, like in every other arm of government; at the same time, there are many honest and hardworking judicial officers and magistrates making the judiciary and the country proud.

    “It should be noted that the judiciary is the only arm of government that has been investigating its judicial officers and dealt appropriately with those found guilty by dismissal or removal from office, subject to approval for such recommendation from the President or the governor of a state as the case may be, and publish such in electronic and print media for the consumption of the public.

    “Members of the general public are also aware that the NJC has been recommending judges found guilty of corrupt practices to the appropriate security agencies for prosecution.

    “It is unfortunate that this orchestrated allegation is coming at a time the current Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Hon. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON, is making frantic efforts to stamp out corruption, restructure the judiciary and also give the Nigerian legal system a new lease of life for the rule of law to take its firm roots in the country.

    “The Judiciary calls on the general public to disregard the aforestated allegation as it is untrue, baseless, unfounded and a figment of the agencies’ imagination.”

  • We are not corrupt – Police

    We are not corrupt – Police

    A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in conjunction with National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and others had released a report titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Bribery: Public experience and response” Which has described police officers as the most corrupt.

    The report which was released Wednesday in Abuja indicated that police officers are the type of public officials to whom bribes are most commonly paid in Nigeria.

    The police ranked high with 46.4 percent while prosecutors ranked directly after them with 33.0 percent.

    Other public officials put into perspective are Judges and magistrates, tax and revenue officers, customs officers and public utilities officers.

    Reacting to the report, the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood described the report as false.

    He also urged Nigerians to disregard the report noting that there is no way the Nigeria Police Force officials could be corrupt.

    He said: “I don’t think the UNODC are for such purpose. We have not seen such report and we cannot react to what we have not seen but what I know is that Nigeria Police Force is not corrupt.

    “Corruption is a personal thing and Nigeria Police Force is not a corrupt institution and it is not for anybody to have made such allegation.

    “The allegations are mischievous because it is not empirical and we distant ourselves from such and we want all Nigerians to condemn such.

    “In fact a lot of changes have been introduced into the Force to ensure that we are accountable to the people.

    “Such a report is unacceptable by the Force and we want everybody to disregard such because the Nigeria Police is not corrupt. The allegation is not empirical and it cannot stand any test or proof.  It is misleading.”

     

  • N400 billion spent on bribes every year – NBS

    N400 billion spent on bribes every year – NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that N400 billion was paid to public officials as bribes every year in the country.

    It said the amount is equivalent to 38 per cent of the combined federal and state education budgets in 2016 and also equivalent to $4.6 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP).

    This was contained in its report on “Corruption in Nigeria- bribery as experienced by population”.

    The report stated that: “Taking into account the fact that nine out of every ten bribes paid to public officials in Nigeria are paid in cash and the size of the payments made, it is estimated that the total amount of bribes paid to public officials in Nigeria in the 12 months prior to the survey was around N402 billion.

    It also affirmed that “almost a third of Nigerian citizens (32.3 per cent) who had contact with a public official between June 2015 and May 2016 had to pay, or were requested to pay, a bribe to that public official”.

    “The magnitude of public sector bribery in Nigeria becomes even more palpable when factoring in the frequency of those payments, as the majority of those who paid a bribe to a public official did so more than once over the course of the year.

    According to the survey, Nigerian bribe-payers pay an average of some six bribes in one year, or roughly one bribe every two months.  On average, almost one bribe is paid by every adult Nigerian per year

    “By combining the total number of people who paid a bribe to a public official with the frequency of those payments, it is estimated that a total of roughly 82.3 million bribes were paid in Nigeria in the 12 months prior to the survey. This results in an average of 0.93 bribes paid per adult, or almost one bribe paid by every adult Nigerian per year”.

    The report also asserted that “Nigerian bribe-payers spend an eighth of their salary on bribes as the average sum paid as a cash bribe in Nigeria is approximately NGN 5,300, which is equivalent to roughly $61-PPP.

    “This means that every time a Nigerian pays a cash bribe, he or she spends an average of about 28.2 per cent of the average monthly salary of approximately N18, 900.

    Since Nigerian bribe-payers pay an average of 5.8 bribes over the course of one year, 91.9 per cent of which are paid in cash, they spend an average of N28, 200 annually on cash bribes ― equivalent to 12.5 per cent of the annual average salary.

  • Group to PDP: Stop insulting sensibility of Nigerians

    Group to PDP: Stop insulting sensibility of Nigerians

    The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) Wednesday told leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to stop insulting the sensibility of Nigerians with their claims of fighting corruption and laying the foundation for Nigeria’s development when they actually laid the foundation for the current economic hardship the nation is passing through.

    The group in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja said the PDP should stop laying claims to what it could not achieve in its 16 years in power, adding that it is a confirmation that the party is still in the business of insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians.

    The group was reacting to the claims by officials of the PDP at its non-elective convention last weekend in Abuja, the group dismissed the party’s claim that it fought corruption within the 16 years that it was in power.

    The statement which was signed by its Chairman, Hon Austin Braimoh and Secretary, Chief Cassidy Madueke, said after claiming to spend huge sums of money on power, it is now evident that what the PDP actually did was spent the nation’s hard earned money to procure darkness for Nigerians

    The group said recent recoveries by the EFCC which showed that one person acquired enough money that could be used to build six airports, two long rail lines and implement huge agricultural projects that would have provided much-needed jobs for teeming Nigerian youth is a clear indication of how the PDP fought corruption in the country.

    According to them, “This is money stolen by just one person during the President Jonathan’s administration. Only God knows what other PDP government officials did during the 16 years that that party held Nigerians to ransom’’.

    They reminded the PDP of how former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now Emir of Kano,  Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was sacked for telling the entire nation during the Jonathan administration that about $20 Billion was missing from the nation’s treasury.

    “There was massive looting going by the recoveries made by EFCC and these monies have been traced to the accounts of past PDP government officials. Nigerians now know the truth about what happened to their commonwealth’’, the statement said.

    While asking the PDP to desist from insulting the intelligence of Nigerians, the group said that the maladministration that happened under the PDP watch resulted in the hardship and economic recession that the country and Nigerians are currently experiencing for which President Muhammadu Buhari is working hard to redress.

    They wondered how a corrupt regimes of the PDP could claimed to have fought corruption by just setting up the ICPC and EFCC when it knew that both agencies served as a source of deceit in the sense that they were toothless bulldogs that could only bark and not bite.

    They alleged that both the EFCC and ICPC were used by the PDP government to hunt down, harass and embarrass political opponents in its bid to retain power by all means, adding that it is now that both agencies have become alive to their responsibilities and the difference is clear.

    The group argued further that the PDP deliberately failed to implement the use of the Treasury Single Account and the Bank Verification Number meant to track the movement of funds because it would have hooked the numerous crooks in the party who were into dubious transaction

    The Buhari Media Support Group recalled that Nigeria lost so much revenue to illegalities at the nation’s ports where billions of dollars was lost to mid-stream discharge of cargo while corruption that held sway in the Nigeria Customs Service denied the nation of huge sums of revenue.

    They stressed that after claiming that it spent trillions of Naira to improve power supply across the country, it has become obvious that the PDP paid for Nigeria and Nigerians to remain in darkness, adding that it is shocking that the PDP whose import list included tooth picks and other luxury goods could pride its regimes as the best that ever happened to the country.

    “It is important to remind the party that evidence of infrastructural decay which include poor road networks, drop in the standard of education are still available. Meanwhile, the highest deceit was the convening of a national conference that gulped billions of Naira when it was obvious that the regime of Goodluck Jonathan had made up its mind not to implement the recommendations of the conference”, the group said

    They claimed that under President Buhari, Nigeria has made significant economic gains among which include the implementation of TSA, increased revenue generation by the Nigeria Customs Service and Federal Inland Revenue Service and in-flow of Foreign Direct Investment.

     

  • How pressure on public officials fuels corruption, by outgoing Perm Sec

    Outgoing Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ministry Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye has blamed financial pressure on public officials for the high rate of corruption.

    Enikanolaiye, therefore, urged Nigerians to stop mounting financial pressure on public officers, if the country is to win the war against corruption.

    He spoke at the weekend in Abuja during the sendoff party held in his honour.

    He stressed the need to join hands with the government to rid public service of corrupt practices.

    The retired permanent secretary explained that corruption thrives in many public offices because of how people make unnecessary requests from public officials.

    He said many public servants fall under the pressure from friends, acquaintances and sometimes, unknown people, who make unnecessary demands from them.

    “Nigerians should not try to mount too much pressure on public servants. The expectations are simply too much and too many expect you to give them cash, give them jobs and to help solve all sorts of problems.

    “People you never met before, they don’t know you, they just got your phone numbers and began to call that: ‘I want to get marry’, ‘I want to pay some fees’, ‘I want to do this and that; all sorts of thing.

    “I wonder how you want a permanent secretary or public officials to get that kind of money.

    “We are fighting corruption; Nigerians must join in the fight by not putting too much pressure on public servants, thereby encouraging them to look for all means to meet those high expectations,” he said.

    Enikanolaye said he was able to succeed in his 35 years of service in the ministry because of commitment and discipline, which he enjoined other public officials to imbibe.

  • How leaders can curb corruption, by primate

    Only pious and spirit filled leaders can stem corruption which is destroying the country, Primate of The African Church Cathedral Salem, Lagos Mainland Diocese, Dr. Emmanuel Udofiah has said.

    Delivering the sermon at the dedication of the cathedral’s N300million auditorium on Freeman Street, Ebute-Meta, he said the church was ordained with the authority to fulfil the redemptive task of proffering solutions to individual, family and societal restiveness.

    He said the peace and blessings of God would reign in the country if the church would exercise its power to seek the enduring mercy of the Almighty.

    Udofia encouraged Christians not to give up on intercessions and supplications for the country’s advancement, noting that leaders must align their actions with uprightness for the prayers to be answered.

    “When the church is led by the spirit of God, the love of God will manifest and there will be peace in our environment, the church and the society. Corruption will be a thing of the past when the church teaches what Christ has taught the church and our generation will be blessed. By the grace of God, human beings are God’s temple set aside for God’s honour and glory. So our live should be such that anyone that gets in contact with Him should be able to learn one thing or the other that will assist him or her to live a Godly life,” he said.

    Chairman of the Building Committee, Otunba Olutola Senbore, said the largest building in the African church was largely financed by parishioners’ donations and fundraisers.

    The foundation of the 20-year project, he said, was laid in July 1998, following the demolition of the former edifice. The new building is composed of a 300-guest basement hall, a 100-seater auditorium and two chapels donated by the Youth Christian Fellowship and Chief Mrs Olufunke Obasanjo.

    He said: “We have to thank God that it was possible for us to have this project completed. It was very tasking and challenging to get members going particularly as it is a project that belongs to the entire congregation.  It would not have been possible to complete it but for the various successful fundraisers by different committees.”

  • DisCos, EFCC partner to fight corruption

    DisCos, EFCC partner to fight corruption

    The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), the Police and other security agencies, are collaborating to rid the power sector of corrupt officials, it was learnt.

    ANED’s Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, said the deal had reached an advanced stage, adding that many workers had been investigated for bribery, stealing and extortion of consumers. He said those  found guilty would be kicked out.

    Oduntan said: “Some workers  of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC) and other power distribution companies who were found  guilty of grievous offences, such as stealing of electricity facilities or money, have been handed over to EFFC for investigation. Also, they have been forced out of the system, by their employers.

    “Many of such people would follow suit very soon. The exercise is taking place across the country as part of efforts to sanitise the sector. We, at ANED, frown at such practices and have vowed to stop them, hence our decision to set up a team that is investigating criminal issues involving workers of the DisCos. The anti-graft agency complements our investigation by making it more effective and stronger.”

    According to him, ANED, the umbrella body of the 11 distribution companies, is on top of the game as it gets information on where such illegal activities take place and  follow it up.

    “If any member of the public is extorted by any of the officials of the DisCos, we would get necessary information on the officials involved, we would report him or her to the DisCo that has employed her. The DisCo, in turn, would carry out its own due diligence on the issue in order to find out whether the allegation levelled on such person(s) are founded or not. We work as a team as we do not leave any area untouched in our investigation,” he added.

    Oduntan said ANED had visited Abuja, Plateau State and other parts of the country to monitor the officials and get reports on their conducts.

    He said the issue of sanitising the sector must start in the house first before going outside.

    On debts, Oduntan said the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) owe the utility huge debts, adding that failure of the MDAs to pay their debts have made the debts accumulate over the years, which poses a big problem to the sector.

    He explained that the inability of the firms to meet their obligations to customers by supplying them electricity regularly, meters, and other equipment, was as a result of the debts.

    The DisCos, he said, were lacking funds to operate, stressing that the issue is affecting their performance. This is coupled with the fact that the power generation is decreasing in the country.

    According to him, if the power generation companies (GenCos) generate enough electricity for the DisCos, the DisCos still need to get funds to procure modern facilities. ‘’The DisCos need money to replace obsolete equipment with new ones in order to attain optimal delivery,’’ he said.

  • Stop DSS from investigating corruption, financial crimes, says Falana

    Stop DSS from investigating corruption, financial crimes, says Falana

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has advised the Federal Government to restrain the Directorate of State Service (SSS) from corruption Investigation.

    Falana gave the advice yesterday in his review of the reorganisation of the anti-graft agencies  by the government.

    He advised that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission  (ICPC ) should take over all cases of official corruption while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should limit its activities to money laundering, cyber crimes, advanced fee fraud and other economic and financial crimes.

    “With the new development,   the Presidency should, as a matter of urgency, ensure that each of the anti graft agencies is made to henceforth operate within its statutory core mandate.

    “If the federal government is prepared to reclaim the initiative it must insist on regular inter agency collaboration on the part of the anti graft agencies”, he counselled.

    Falana commended the appointment of Prof.  Bolaji Owasanye as Chaormn of of the ICPC and Chief Okoi Obono-Obla to handle recovery of public property.

    “By appointing Professor Bolaji Owasanye, the Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Council Against Corruption, as the chairman of the ICPC and Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, the Presidential Adviser on Prosecution  as the Chairman of the Presidential Panel on Recovery of Public Property who are both men of proven integrity, the federal government has demonstrated its determination to refocus, restrategise and rejig the anti corruption programme which has almost been hijacked by the forces of corruption and impunity in the country”, he noted.

    While commending the National Assembly  for passing the Whistle Blowers Bill, he advised the legislature to pass the remaining anti corruption bills including the bill for the establishment of an anti corruption court.

    He recalled suggesting the reorganisation of the other anti graft agencies following the change in the leadership of the EFCC in November 2016.