There is high-level corruption among officials, customers and contractors of the electricity distribution companies (DisCos), The Nation has learnt.
It was gathered that the workers, mainly those in the Engineering /Technical Units, connive with contractors to buy substandard equipment, such as sub-stations, transformers and wires.
The contractors obtained fake local and foreign certification numbers to ensure that the transactions have some credibility. In other cases, they refurbish equipment.
Sources said customers were made to pay below the market price for the equipment.
Ikeja Electric Chief Financial Officer Mr Aigbe Olotu, who corroborated this, noted that corruption remained endemic.
Speaking to The Nation, on the sideline of a forum in Lagos, Olotu said corruption could not be eradicated because the propensity of workers to cut corners.
He said: ”Many Nigerians believe that they have suffered for long and that they cannot get anything done unless they steal or collect bribe. That informed the reason why corruption permeates every segment of the economy.”
According to him, criminal activities, such as bribery, exhortation and others are increasing in the sector, because some workers allowed themselves to be used as accomplices to crimes.
He said cases abound, where officials collect new transformers and install refurbished ones.
The Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, said efforts were on-going to rid the sector of corruption.
He said the 11 DisCos were prepared to deal with corruption, by ensuring that corrupt workers were investigated and brought to book.
Tag: corruption
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‘Corruption crippling power sector’
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Corruption in the ivory tower
I think the greatest problem, today, has to do with the quality of those in the commanding heights of our universities
“Suddenly, education that was considered to be the corner stone for the development and modernisation of Nigeria was ignored, neglected, and starved of the necessary funds and policy initiatives needed to move it forward. Increasingly, national and state governments started cutting educational funds, thereby, creating the impression that education was no longer an important strategic tool in directing the country’s growth. With this development, the looting of educational funds became acceptable. Thus, it became fashionable to loot funds allocated for academic enhancement, capacity building, infrastructural development, modernisation, and rehabilitation of educational institutions. The looting involved educational policymakers, bureaucrats in various educational ministries, and school officials responsible for administering the schools.” – Priye S. Torulagha
The above caption was the title of a recent article by Professor Niyi Akinnaso, my contemporary at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife. Having been weaned largely on about the same moral principles at the great university of learning and culture, it was no surprise that I found myself agreeing with many of his views on the subject. This article is an attempt at situating when the rain actually began to fall on our universities.
Niyi almost brought tears to the eyes recalling the past glorious years of Nigerian universities. I had the distinct privilege of working in three of the best, but more importantly, I worked directly with two of the very best Vice Chancellors ever in this clime: Oluwasanmi at Ife and Akinkugbe at Ilorin. Either of them would faster have drunk the hemlock than steal a penny of university funds. I think the greatest problem, today, has to do with the quality of those in the commanding heights of our universities. Besides the great Vice-chancellors of old, compare those we have in these institutions today with the Alukos and the Aboyades of that era. They were also matched in integrity in the administration – both registry and the bursary – with men and women who would not have allowed any errant Vice-Chancellor play games with university funds. Besides, there were also some conscientious objectors; men like my late uncle, Dr Remi Olaofe and his friend, Dr Sowumi at Ibadan, and at Ife, Drs Segun Osoba, and Toye Olorode, men of incomparable integrity ready at any time to call any Vice-Chancellor to order. At Ife for instance, the fear of Ife Dialogue, edited by Dr Osoba, was the beginning of wisdom. I should know. I was in the Vice-Chancellor’s office and had to do some rejoinders to their articles though strictly in my personal capacity. Unfortunately, those days are, forever, gone from Nigerian universities as most people have become far more concerned with self, than for the common good.
Some two weeks ago, I toyed with the idea of writing an article on what I considered the new, totally abrasive preoccupation of the SSANU, a union I believed, considering its role in the crisis at Ife, Abeokuta and Akure, was fast becoming something of a nuisance. To this end, I spoke to a university Pro Chancellor, a Vice Chancellor and was going to speak with another Vice Chancellor, himself in the eye of the storm, and the National President of SSANU. The arraignment of two officials of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, put paid to that. I have since been told, by a gentle man who should know, that members of SSANU are in the best position to know of any underhand dealings with the funds of any university as, at least, one or more of its members would, willy nilly, be privy to the act. That for me, however, did not remove the fact that SSANU, as a union, has a plethora of selfish reasons to wish to deliberately make life difficult for an uncompromising Vice-Chancellor; some being financial demands not approved by government policies and succession battles for the outgoing Vice-Chancellor’s position. Unfortunately, the deafening corruption in universities is more than quintupled at the National Universities Commission as Prof Wale Tomori, a former Vice Chancellor, brilliantly captured it last year in a convocation lecture.
First, a word about union activities in Nigerian universities. Hardly would any union, indeed, any Nigerian organisation, claim to be more, or even be as democratic, as the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities. As thoroughly befits it, decisions are taken with every segment of the membership, except at Ilorin, taking part. And considering one’s personal contribution to the very beginnings of that institution – I was a foundation staff – I consider its solitary, negative approach to ASUU very regrettable. ASUU, despite the interruptions it sometimes causes to the university calendar, has been a distinct asset to higher education in Nigeria. But for it, our universities would be an arid zone devoid of both physical, as well as learning and research infrastructural facilities critical to university development. SSANU was rather genteel at its first coming, concerned more with its members having training opportunities comparable to their academic colleagues. I knew these, being a member of the inaugural Executive Committee of the then newly established Association of University Administrators with the likes of Ebenezer Babatope (Lagos), the late Charles Balogun (Ibadan), Talib Umar, Tom Adaba (ABU), and a few others. The junior staff union was, however, another kettle of fish entirely, conceiving of itself solely as an adversarial association against university authorities. Their greatest weapon, it seemed, was their unfailing election of the most illiterate of their members as president so as to be able to feign ignorance of university rules and regulations.
And what trouble they gave university authorities!
However, in the ‘70s and early 80s, corruption, either relating to money or sexing up marks was not a major problem and plagiarism was hardly an issue. Then a virulent military government emerged on the Nigerian scene and while corruption in universities did not begin with them, they torridly worsened it. Corruption has started to rear its ugly head when some senior academic staff, desirous of promotion, started going to military governors complaining that their Vice –Chancellors were not giving them ‘chairs’, which, in a particular case at Ife, the governor misconstrued as settees when he confronted the Vice Chancellor who would not give a whole university lecturer, mere chairs when there was no dearth of carpenters in town. From that benign beginning governors, as well as presidents, civil and military, as visitors to the universities, began packing university councils with their friends and acolytes, so they could do whatever they wanted there. The worst happened in a Southwest state not too long ago when a governor appointed two siblings as Chancellor and Pro- Chancellor in a state university. Appointment of Vice Chancellors would, however, take the cake in corrupt activities. They were mostly schemed into office, and knowing how he/she got there, the first thing a ‘smart’ Vice Chancellor does is to pamper, and ‘capture’, the Council chairman who is probably on first name terms with the Visitor. That done, and with troublesome council members also made members of juicy council committees, the Vice –Chancellor is now free to do as he wished. From then, not even the minister or the commissioner of education, who is hardly permitted by the Chief of Staff to see the president or governor can, any longer, call the Vice-Chancellor to order. Nor is the distinguished, but rather aloof Chancellor, most probably a high ranking king or VIP, close enough to know what games the Vice -Chancellor and the chairman, in collusion with their already compromised council members, are playing with university funds.
Any wonder then some university funds are believed to have been lost to wonder banks?
However, while the above has been the dominant theme, as in other areas of the Nigerian polity where corruption is king, it must be said, without the slightest equivocation, that there are some chairmen and Vice-Chancellors who have been clearly above board; those for whom no temptation is strong enough, to make them sacrifice their strict moral principles. There are even instances of council chairmen and Vice–Chancellors being at loggerheads.
Given the above common scenario, however, it seems the only way to effectively fight corruption in our universities will be through the efforts of internal whistle blowers who must, however, be sure that they are not being driven by morbid personal or group interest.
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Not all politicians are corrupt, says ICPC
As against the general believe in the country that all politicians in the country are corrupt, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission, ICPC has said not all Nigeria politicians are corrupt, adding that some still has a sincere heart.
The Commissioner for ICPC in Oyo/Ogun, Stephen Pimor spoke Friday during the celebration of 2016 United Nation International day on Anti-Corruption with the theme:” Corruption: An impediment against sustainable development”.
He noted that nobody can assume every politician is corrupt if there is no evidence to support ones claim.
Pimor said the commission will not take action if the claimant does not have enough evidence to proof his claim.
According to Pimor, in order to end this scourge, he said there is need for public cooperation with the anti-graft body.
“The government alone cannot wage war against corruption; hence all people irrespective of their status should complement the current effort of the Federal government to tackle the menace in the country. We are not only investigating and prosecuting alone; we are also creating awareness on the impact of corruption in our nation. Since I resume office in Ibadan, we have been able to investigate corrupt cases that are bound in the court.
“There is no known positive impact of corruption, no nation has ever develop or progress with corruption. Corruption has drawn Nigeria backward; we are supposed to be in the same level with Malaysia, Brazil, and other nation that started nationhood with Nigeria. That is why we are fighting corruption in line with the change mantra of the Federal government.” Pimor
During the commission’s walk campaign to Oyo Secretariat, Pimor while addressing the workers in the state urged them to cooperate with the commission in order to end corruption in the country.
He said there is an urgent need to change the damaged image of Nigeria at home and abroad and ensure transparency in endeavours.
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EFCC’s fresh onslaught against corruption
In collaboration with President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife Aisha, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday launched the Nigerian Women Against Corruption (NWAC) Brigade. Managing Editor YUSUF ALLI writes on the role of women in the anti-corruption battle.
Despite the non-implementation of United Nations Resolution 1325, which provides for 35 per cent affirmation for women by the Federal Government, reports have shown that Nigerian women are as culpable as their male counterparts in treasury looting.
From the conviction of a former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, to the trial of a former Aviation Minister, Mrs. Stella Oduah and ongoing investigation of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and former Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, women have always been implicated in one scandal or the other.
The bulk of the looting in the pension fraud and the stealing in some branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had the signatures of women.
Many men, who plundered the nation’s commonwealth, ended up lavishing their ill-gotten wealth on their wives, children and mistresses.
Unfortunately, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), harbours the palatial mansions acquired with slush funds and many of which unoccupied and already put in the property market for auction.
But the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, yesterday opted to change the trends with the launch of a new template. He enlisted women into a new brigade against corruption.
As early as 7am, women started trooping into the now rustic International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, for the launch of “Nigerian Women Against Corruption (NWAC).
Expectedly, women were decked out in beautiful dresses but when the session began, it dawned on all that it was a day for introspection and retrospection. There were also confessions of large-scale magnitude.
The President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCSW), Mrs. Gloria Laraba Shoda, electrified the venue with her frank remarks. She told a bewildered audience that “women are the ones who make men corrupt all the time.”
Mrs. Shoda said that besides overstretching men with ostentatious demands, “these men also get enmeshed in their lust for weak flesh such that they labour to keep their wives and other wives.
“The Nigerian home has failed because it reeks of corruption. Corruption starts from our homes. We influence teachers, we encourage cheating in schools, we cut corners. There is corruption everywhere even in EFCC.”
Belling the cat
In his remarks, Magu gave the synopsis behind the pet project. According to him, the anti-corruption war can be won easily with women in the vanguard. “Give me good mothers and I will give you a great nation”, the EFCC chief laced his synopsis with French General Napoleon Bonaparte’s quote.
But more importantly, he said the EFCC was goaded by a UN agency report. “A research carried out by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), shows that women are far more vulnerable to the impact of corruption than men.”
With emotion-laden voice, Magu spoke of how women and their children bear the brunt of corruption.
His words: “Women form a larger proportion of the poor and they take primary responsibility for child care; they are more reliant on freely-provided public services. As a result, corruption in public service delivery has disproportionate impact on them and their children.
“The challenge of corruption which we all face has thrust on women, perhaps a more critical role in the struggle to free Nigeria from the shackles of corruption.
“Personally, at the EFCC, we feel the pain of Nigerian women impacted by corruption. That is perhaps, one of the driving forces behind the uncommon determination of the team I lead, to give everything within our powers to root out corruption anywhere we see it in Nigeria. We are here today to enlist women all over the country to be part of the fight against corruption.”
Explaining his vision for the anti-graft agency, Magu listed seven key roles women will play to make the pet project successful. They include:
- Personal integrity, transparency, zero tolerance for corrupt practices and simple life styles.
- Promotion of family values of hard work and honesty in children.
- Refusing to flatter or tolerate anyone known to be corrupt.
- Obeying religious and spiritual instructions about openness, transparency and aspiration to higher values.
- Blowing the whistle on corrupt people at personal and organisational levels.
- Forming non-governmental organisations to promote anti-corruption values in the wider society.
- Active involvement in the NWAC network across the states and local government areas.
“It is our belief at the EFCC that enlisting the womenfolk as change agents could be the turning point in the fight against corruption.
“It is therefore my fervent hope that this gathering is but one little step in the long journey to making Nigeria corruption free.
Giving more insights into his passion, the EFCC chair said: “The project is a unique initiative of the EFCC designed to mobilise Nigerian women to become active change agents in the important national agenda to reclaim our nation from the grips of corruption.
“Nigerians have come to the realisation that corruption is at the centre of all our development challenges. It is the reason the country has been unable to transform its rich natural and human resource endowment into prosperity. It is the reason for endemic and embarrassing poverty in the midst of plenty.
“We certainly cannot continue this way. It is time to break with the past and deliver hope to future generations. We at EFCC are convinced that the power to change the destiny of our nation lies in the hands of women.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we stand at the cusp of generational change. There has not been a more historical moment than now, to conclusively deal with the existential issues of Nigeria. And, corruption is at the centre of every problem currently facing us as a nation.”
Frank talks
After the opening remark, women leaders took the stage one after another. Even with the visible pangs of old age, octogenarian erstwhile University of Benin Vice Chancellor, Prof. Grace Alele-Williams, defied crutches to offer wise counsel. Her focus was on the innocent school children at the ceremony, assuring them of a better and corruption-free tomorrow.
The foremost Mathematics teachers shared the three secrets behind her rise to stardom as the first female varsity vice chancellor in the country.
She said: “As a secondary school pupil, our motto was: ‘Work hard, pray hard and keep straight’ in whatever you are doing.
“You can keep Nigeria glowing not by telling lies, not by accepting corruption as a way of life, not by running after wealth. If your fathers and mothers are corrupt, it will be very difficult for you but pray to God for guidance.”
The first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar, who was the Guest Speaker, said “fighting corruption is an obligation of every citizen.”
The former CJN blamed women for mounting pressure on men to indulge in corrupt practices.
Her words: “On the other hand, I cannot say that women are completely blameless in the unfortunate situation. In keeping with the Joneses (so to speak), women contribute to corruption by pressurising their husbands to live above their means. Men, in order to please and satisfy their spouses, bow and succumb to corrupt practices.
“Women should be contented and refrain from leading the men to yield to the temptation of corruption. To avert these occurrences, women should be empowered both economically and politically to be self-sufficient.
“Participation of women in commercial activities should be encouraged, as it will definitely obviate the penchance to push the men to seek favours that may have corruptive tendencies.
“In this wise, women should be assisted by financial institutions in the form of soft loans and expert advice to start small scale businesses. This will definitely alleviate the sufferings of not only the women, but their families. The government should encourage self-reliance.”
She, however, added a delicate caveat: “Corruption comes in many forms as is depicted in one of the definitions above; i.e. favours etc. It has eaten deep into the fabric of our society, so much so that a complete turnaround may not be possible in the nearest future.
“Our very existence, sometimes depend on corruption so much so that one is expected to ‘perform’ before he or she gets something done by persons in authority that are responsible for the services required. It is so bad that to even secure a bed in a government owned hospital the patient may have to bribe the nurses.”
Mrs. Aloma-Mukhtar signed off by recommending more women involvement in governance because men have failed.
She said: “Much of the acts of corruption we have today emanated mostly from abuse of power by those entrusted with it, majority of who are the men who want to enjoy monopoly of power in this Country. Women should be allowed to freely share and utilise the power, as politicians, entrepreneurs and policy makers.
“If women are given opportunities, we will see the improvement this will bring to the development of this country. I have deliberately concentrated on the position of women as it relates to the topic of this paper i.e. the link of women in the fight against corruption.
“It is pertinent, however, that I stress the importance of this fight, for if corruption is not curbed, it may one day swallow the nation.
“We have indeed lost our values. We must not relent in our efforts to fight assiduously to kill this cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. This is a fight that both men and women must be involved in, whether they are working in government or privately.”
A former chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, urged women to use their sixth sense (gifted intuition) to wage war against corruption and discourage corrupt elements.
She said: “You can see the pain in Magu and how he is fighting hard to curb corruption in the country. Every woman has sixth sense. I mean, women have more intuition than men. Let us use it to change things in the country or to tackle corruption.
“Every hand must be on deck; otherwise we are doomed as a nation. The fight against corruption cannot be that of Mr. President or EFCC alone. We need to join the campaign. It is sad that our monies are taken to safe havens like Cayman Island and others. I went to Pretoria, I was at a white neighbourhood where I was shown a street with houses bought by Nigerians.”
Her suggestion that “before the government appoints people into public offices, let them be examined, let them go through psychiatric test”, made the audience to burst into laughter.
The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, said: “Our business is to reinforce this WAC brigade, we should be positive that our women can be in the vanguard against corruption.”
Religious perspective from Osinbajo’s wife
Living up to her billing as a pastor, Vice President’s wife, Dolapo Osinbajo said: “I know that women are change agents, and I know as Prof Grace Alele Williams has told us, if we can work hard, pray hard and think straight, there will be no room for corruption.
“Just look at the woman beside you, you’ll know that she’s the change agent. Ask if she’s ready to put on her soldier’s uniform to fight this war against corruption. I know of a lady who is like a soldier, I know when she flags-off this campaign, we have to be ready, get set and go. I can see some words in Yoruba which is my language, I can see words in other dialects, it says “Obinrin rere lo n gbe orilede ga (good women lift a nation). If there is a good woman beside you, celebrate her.”
First Lady’s new anti-corruption template
Unlike what obtained in the past, President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Hajia Aisha, used the opportunity to cast the first stone. Bedecked in immaculate white, she chose the off-the-cuff part of her speech to reply her critics.
In what sounded as a direct response to the gossips around her Office as the First Lady, she said she never accepted any gift in office even though the givers kept pouring in to the Presidential Villa.
Mrs. Buhari was applauded for shocking and straightforward comments. “As you’re all aware, we have passed through the campaign season in which my sister (wife of the vice president, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo who is known as a pastor) and Sunni Malama, we have never ever collected a single penny from our supporters or donors in the name of campaign.
“We’ll rather ask them to go and put the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on top of items and bring them in large quantities instead of N100, 000 or N200, 000 to be given to us. That was the beginning of the fight against corruption.
“I know the type of husband that I have and I stood firm to maintain integrity and the name of the family. Up till today, I don’t receive gifts.
“Right from the day we won election, people have been trooping in with gifts but I have never collected gifts and up till today, I’m not ready to do that. In the end, long live Nigeria, long live Nigerian women and long live EFCC.”
Urging women to join the anti-corruption crusade, she said: “Corruption fuels serious crimes such as terrorism, kidnapping, child trafficking, drug trafficking, gun running and a number of other crimes that directly and severely impact women of all ages and backgrounds.
“My dear Nigerian women, the individuals and group most affected by these corrupt acts are us, the women. The struggles the women face daily, be they in education, justice, healthcare or employment are indeed enormous.
“There is therefore, no one single group better positioned to understand the issues of corruption and at the same time, there is no other group with more influential tentacles (as professionals, colleagues, mothers, wives, sisters) to both perpetrators and victims and through whom the scourge can be most effectively tackled than women.
“In addition, women are known to be great cause mobilisers. It is therefore imperative that while deploying one-size-fits-all anti-corruption messages for the general society, we should specifically target women as a special group to own and drive the prevention tactics of our entire anti-corruption strategy.”
Will the project be
another jamboree?
Magu spoke of plan to replicate the campaign in all the 36 states, the FCT and the 774 council areas.
He said: “Nigerian women, heed the clarion call to duty. Consider yourselves from now on, as soldiers in the anti-corruption army. I enjoin you to pick up your battle axe and march with us into the battlefield to take on corruption wherever it rears its ugly head.
“After today’s flag off ceremony, the advocacy will be taken to the zones, states and local government levels for effective grassroots mobilisation and mass participation.
“I therefore call on women in the thirty six states, including the FCT and the 774 local government arear across the federation to be prepared to carry on the torch of probity and transparency in the conduct of public affairs.”
But the questions on the lips of many are: Will this campaign be another nationwide jamboree? Can it be hijacked by corrupt elements? Will public officers not make political gains of it?
Ethical Revolution, Mass Mobilisation for Self Economic Reliance (MAMSER) and Anti-Corruption Revolution (ANCOR) launched Mrs. Farida Waziri held the forte as the EFCC chair, were all ambitious campaigns launched in the past.
What next?
The EFFC chief has raised the anti-corruption war stake by engaging about half of the population. Aisha Buhari and her coterie of lieutenants from the states were at yesterday’s launch to sign the bond to make the campaign a reality.
Beyond the pledge, the signatories must demonstrate commitment as all eyes would be on Mrs. Buhari and others. If they succeed, the war would have been almost won.
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Crippling the wings of corruption
SIR: Corruption has been with us for long so we need to be diplomatic in solving it. In fact we need a 20-year plan to reduce corruption from 75% in the public sphere to less than 30%. It will never be an overnight battle and corruption can never be totally eliminated anywhere in the world.
Without believing in the country, any money that is budgeted for development will be diverted. Fact is that over 70% of leaders in Nigeria don’t believe in Nigeria, so we need to work on our belief system. Pensioners are not paid; graduates cannot get jobs even after waiting for 10 years. Minimum wage goes nowhere, naira is facing serious trial. One should not be deceived; corruption will thrive in this environment.
According to the revenue mobilization commission, N1.1trillion naira is being paid to 17,000 workers in Nigeria as salaries and allowances from the President to the councillor, about 10% of the federal and states budget. This is very unfair but to pay N18,000 minimum wage is a hard task. The National Assembly’s budget is N115b for less than 4,000 persons (their aide’s and workers inclusive) while a state of three million persons has N100b as budget. Their oversight function have not increased electricity or built new refineries in the past 16 years. N20billion budget is more than enough for the National Assembly. Our president, lawmakers and ministers are one of the highest paid in the world but our minimum wage is the lowest in the world. Inequitable distribution of wealth equals corruption.
The government needs to establish the anti-corruption ministry which will work with the National Orientation Agency to develop subjects and courses on corruption in our primary, secondary and higher institutions, appeal to our religious institutions to verify the zakat, tithes and offerings they receive, carry out anti-corruption seminars in the civil service, appeal to all Nigerians to shun corruption, produce adverts, dramas, soap operas and movies on the ills of corruption. This will help the nation greatly.
About 70% of lawyers in Nigeria are corrupt; they are out to defend their income no matter the source. The government needs to reform the judiciary and set up anti-corruption courts.
The Presidency and the civil service are riddled with corruption. Some are experts at paddling the budget, while others are ghost workers generators. A law should be passed to prevent any public servant from obtaining court injunction against being investigated. Once a public servant, it must be possible to be called at any time, even after 50 years, to explain the role you played in any department of the administration.
Fighting corruption selectively is corruption itself.
- David Atta,
Abuja.
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‘Sustain fight against corruption in judiciary’
Mr. Israel Ainoko Aye-Ebene is the Managing Partner of Sterling Partnership Solicitors, a leading commercial law firm. In this interview, he speaks on the war against corruption in the judiciary and sundry issues with JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU.
Law and development have always gone together, how do you think our laws will assist us get out of the current economic recession?
The role of the law in enabling development cannot be overempha-sised. At the basic level, law, or the rule of law, promotes orderliness, justice and peace in society, which in turn allows people to freely engage in economic activities. Furthermore, statutory and regulatory certainty as well as transparent judiciary are minimum conditions for creating a conducive climate for investment. A good example is Dubai, which used the Dubai Arbitration Centre to unlock FDI into Dubai.Finally, law is the ‘infrastructure’ for development as the structure and direction of development would be contained in a body of laws. Lagos State is a very good example of a government that is using law to drive economic development.
How do you feel about the ongoing fight against corruption in the judiciary?
Firstly, confidence in the judiciary is necessary for a civil society and a minimum condition for investment. Corruption undermines such confidence and therefore, we should have zero tolerance for corruption in the judiciary of all places. Secondly, corruption is crime and anyone engaged in corrupt act should also be prepared to face the criminal justice procedure, which includes investigation and prosecution if necessary. However, we must take care to preserve the integrity of the judiciary while ridding it of persons who might threaten to drag it into disrepute.
What is your suggestion on this?
My suggestion is that once a crime is alleged against a judge, a preliminary inquiry by a panel of retired judges, law enforcement personnel and a representative of the Bar should be carried out to determine if a prima facie case has been established against the judge, meriting further investigation. If the outcome is a yes, then such a judge should be suspended from the Bench forthwith, pending the determination of the investigations. The outcome of the investigation if unfavourable should be sufficient grounds for dismissal. That way, we can quickly separate the individual from the institution and deal with such individual without tainting the judiciary in the process.
People have called for the diversification of the economy to develop other sources of revenue other than oil. How do you think we can achieve this through our laws?
The fact is that the Nigerian economy is already diversified by sector. The challenge is (non) revenue generation from the other sectors. In my opinion, there is too much concentration of power in the Federal Government of Nigeria, which may or may not have led to focussing excessively on petroleum as the main foreign exchange earner.
How do we address this?
A number of the activities on the exclusive and legislative lists should be devolved to the sub national entities, to enable that level of government drive economic activities and development. For example, I don’t see why the states cannot make business registrations and partnership laws.
Which reforms would you suggest to the Acting ACJ to make our courts more efficient in justice delivery?
We will have to wait for the Acting CJN to share his agenda with us. Notwithstanding what his agenda might be, one would like to see improvement in the areas of funding of the judiciary, modernisation of the court system, vast improvement in the compensation and remuneration of judges and judicial officers.
The President is asking for emergency economic powers to deal with the current economic challenges, what is your view on this?
You cannot over emphasise the impact of confidence in the performance of any economy. Mr. President can begin by using his bully pulpit to rally Nigerians and other well meaning persons from all over the world to the task of nation building and economic revival, not even so much as a patriotic task, but indeed, as an economic opportunity with a healthy return on investment. Afterwards, if necessary, we can deploy the emergency powers tool. It may just be premature yet.
The President is consulting to enable him take external loans to fix the economy. Should he take the loan?
The rule of the thumb on borrowing is if you must, borrow to invest and not to consume. Therefore, if the purpose of the proposed borrowing is to invest in critical infrastructure, which has the potential to unlock hidden economic assets and stimulate growth, there can’t be an issue with that. But if it is to pay salaries and bail out state governments, that would be a mistake in my opinion.
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CJN, Ribadu to lawyers: fight corruption
The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter S. N. Onnoghen, has called for a collaborative effort in the fight against corruption.
According to him, the fight should not be left to the government alone.
He said organisations, institutions and professional bodies must act rather than remain silent about corruption.
Justice Onnoghen spoke at the ninth J-K Gadzama LLP Annual Public Lecture in Abuja with the theme: Corruption and the nation’s economy; lawyers as change agents.
The Acting CJN, represented by Justice Musa Dettijo Mohammed, praised Chief J-K Gadzama (SAN) for the lecture series, which has been on for almost a decade.
He decried the devastating effect of corruption on the economy, saying: “If we do not arrest and eliminate this monster, it would consume our nation and we will not have any nation to bequeathe to our children and future generation.“
He urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as well as other relevant legal education and regulatory bodies “to educate our lawyers on their very important role as change agents”.
The guest lecturer, pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, examined the concept of corruption and the imperatives of fighting it.
“I want to urge our legal practitioners to always put our legal code of ethics as your guiding light, set morality as your canvas and carry in your heart the public interest, to avoid harming yourself along with the larger society, as Lord Brougham cited above described.
“We must take an active step in self-cleansing. We as lawyers should shun the attitude of playing the ostrich for self preservation. The NBA must be in the forefront of the current effort to cure the justice sector of the evil of corruption and in this there should be no sacred cows.
“The talent commonly displayed by lawyers and their training place the lawyer at a comparative advantage for leadership roles, especially at important junctures of history.
“A number of lawyers have played that role to the admiration of the world. Let’s look at our Mandela, lets look at Ghandi, lets look at Obama, as lawyers they altered the course of history. We all have similar traits in us. Lawyers are trained to be change agents, and we the Nigerian lawyers should not be any different,” Ribadu said.
The paper was discussed by the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Cross River State, Mrs. Nella Andem- Rabana (SAN), Chairman of Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju and Mrs Ozioma Izuora.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong sent his good will massage through Justice Chris Selong. Others, who gave goodwill massages at the event, included the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge FCT High Court, Justice I. U. Bello, President, National Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, D-G Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof.Deji Adekunle and President, Law Media Justice and Society Initiative, Mr Charle Odenigbo.
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Buhari sticks to ‘fighting terrorism, corruption’
President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that his administration remains committed to realising the key priorities of securing the country, fighting corruption and salvaging the economy in spite of present challenges.
He spoke while receiving the Letter of Credence of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. William Stuart Symington, at the State House, Abuja.
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said the security situation in the Northeast had improved significantly following military training support and supply of hardware after the G-7 meeting in Germany in 2015.
‘‘When I was invited to the G-7 meeting after my inauguration on May 29, 2015, I thought I was going to be an observer at the meeting. But without prompting, I was asked to brief the leaders on the security situation in Nigeria, and I did. Since then, we have received support in training and military hardware, and I hope we have not disappointed,’’ he said.
The President said the target of reversing the ‘‘culture of corruption’’ in the country had received support from Nigerians, with many realising the depth of damage done by some previous administrations from the ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
‘‘The corruption we met at personal and institutional levels was unbelievable. Corruption was turning into a culture. After we came in, people started realising the truth,’’ he added.
He told the U.S. ambassador that his administration was still determined to continue investigations and prosecution of corrupt persons in the country as ‘‘Nigeria will either kill corruption or corruption will kill Nigeria in the long run’’.
‘‘It has not been easy for another party to come in and get things done properly, especially with the new economic reality of $37 per barrel of oil, against the $100 for the period, and there was no savings and no infrastructure on ground,’’ he said.
The President added that the timely intervention of the United States, with a visit of the Secretary of State John Kerry to Nigeria, before the 2015 elections, helped in ensuring peace and stability.
The U.S. ambassador said the interest in the well-being of Nigeria was of mutual benefit.
‘‘We do it not only for Nigeria, but for ourselves. We did it because it was right for us and right for our people,’’ he said.
He said he would work hard to further strengthen the relationship between his country and Nigeria, assuring that President-elect Donald Trump would also be interested in the wellbeing of Nigeria.
President Buhari also received Letter of Credence from the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. Moha Ouali Tagma, assuring him of Nigeria’s willingness to improve bilateral relations between the countries.
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Political scientists attribute insecurity, corruption to bad governance
Political scientists have blamed the endemic corruption and insecurity on bad governance by successive administrations in the country.
National Political Science Association of Nigeria (NPSAN) President, Prof Shuaib Ibrahim, said the President Muhammadu Buhari government rode to power, based on his promise to curb the menace.
He lamented that the promise has not ben fully fulfilled by his administration.
Ibrahim spoke at the Second National Conference of the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN). The theme of the conference was: ‘State, governance and insecurity in Nigeria.’
He said: “If you have good governance in place, I am sure it will sustain and rejuvenate the system to correct such economic misplacements. The thinking has always been that we have had good intentioned governments, but in terms of the leadership and those that executive policies, we have not had them. It is obvious that when this government specifically came, it actually marshaled out its.
“The government came in with full blown acceptance and we had great expectations from this government. This has made it imperative for the government to sit down and look at those expectations of Nigerians and do a controlled experiment.
“You know very well that when people are traumatised security wise, hunger, in terms of increasing pauperisation of Nigerians set in, you start making a rethink whether we got it right. I think our expectations have not been met. It is not yet uhuru.”
Declaring the conference open, the Vice Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali, who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof Sidikat Ijaya, said insecurity is currently the number one challenge in Nigeria.
Ambali added: “The conference will create opportunity for a robust discussion on the state of Nigeria. After practicing democracy since 1999 till datem, we need to ask ourselves serious question of why we find ourselves in the ditch today.
“When you talk about insecurity what readily comes to mind is Boko Haram, but then we have the Avengers. There are different types of insecurity in Nigeria. Other types of insecurity are starring all of us in the face. They include insecurity of the stomach; school feels insecurity of employment and acceptance fees.
“Honestly, we need to ask serious questions about the state of the nation. We need to ask ourselves who brought insecurity upon us? Of course, they are not outsiders they are Nigerians. We ought to think seriously about governance. Is governance about amassing wealth? Is governance about paraphernalia of office or about making life easier for the people we are leading?”
A professor of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Ayo Dumoye, said: “Nigeria has a deficit of good governance. I lay the blame squarely on the feet of our leaders. Since independence governance has been negative. That is why we are here today; that is why we have insecurity, corruption, unemployment and recession. I want to say that when you have bad governance then you have insecurity.
“It is obvious that threat to national security in Nigeria cannot be reduced to military issue only. It has been suggested that human security in all its ramifications is very important. Economic insecurity, particularly poverty engendered by economic recession constitutes threat to national security. The state is expected to provide good governance through democratic, accountable and participatory political system.”
“It is when the state ensures good governance that security threat would be adequately tackled and insecurity will be curtailed if not outrightly eliminate it.”
In his paper entitled: Nigeria’s ‘to to’ democracy and the mounting crisis in nation-building,” professor of international relations, UNILORIN, Hassan Saliu attributed the retardation of Nigeria’s development to proliferation of many greenhorns politicians and their taste for expansive materials.
Prof Saliu added that “our attitude to politics needs to change; our current politicians are so challenged that on their own, they cannot bring about development in our country; diversification of the economy is more urgent now than ever before.
“We argue that the egregious level of impact that democracy has made, especially with its generation of more poverty people for Nigeria, is the root/accelerator of the nation-building crisis in Nigeria.”
Acting head of department, political science, Dr Abdulrasheed Muhammad said that there is series of complexities in Nigeria’s “governance environment that require attention from both the state and them citizens. This is the vacuum which this conference hopes to fill.”