The Nation Newspaper

Tag: corruption

  • ‘Corruption is fuelled by judiciary’

    ‘Corruption is fuelled by judiciary’

    Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner Mr Mike Igini spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the proposed centenary celebration, threat by the Boko Haram sect, corruption and other national issues.

    How are you able to combine human rights activism with your current role as a public officer?

    First, in my current capacity, I am a political appointee, not a career civil servant, I am not angling for the plateau of a career ladder, furthermore, the mandate for this job under Section 2 of the Electoral Act includes the education of Nigerians on sound knowledge of good democratic practices, this is a statutory obligation, and so, I will be failing in my obligation if I hide behind a transient public office that would come to an end shortly and fail to point out those wrong actions that are making life difficult for us all. Since these issues align with public interest matters and advocacy within the framework of civil society, I see no reason to change my disposition or convictions that we can do far better than we have done and achieve more if we can be honest enough and tell ourselves inconvenient truths of the reality of our situation. If I sense that I may be required to undermine my convictions, I will respectfully go back to my Law practice.

    How can Nigeria get rid of corruption?

    What worries me the most about corruption in public office are three very disturbing observations; one is the level of lack of remorse on the part of a number of public office holders or what seems to have engulfed the conscience of public officers who are trustees of public good and interest. I don’t understand how for instance someone can go to sleep, come to work every day and watch innocent retired policemen struggling for their retirement benefits, when you know you have kept billions of such funds in your own private account. Or how someone can drive to work to a dirty office sweating under poorly furnished and poky working environment when he knows he has kept the funds to refurbish such office to himself, or how someone can drive through very terrible roads knowing he has kept the funds to repair or maintain such roads in a private account. The second observation is the impunity from a sense of a lack of consequences, and in this I attribute most of the blame to law enforcement and judicial administration. The reason democracy is always qualified with the phrase “ the rule of law” is that without the law, democracy is a futile exercise. Corruption in Nigeria has been fueled largely by the shinanigns in our court rooms when it comes to high profile corruption cases where frivolous applications are filed and pursued up to the supreme court just to stall trial, hence, what we have now is democracy without the rule of law, that ingredient must be in place if we want to mitigate corruption.

    The third observation is that whenever we talk about corruption in public office we often single out a few visible actors. This is a very wrong approach because we have never seen a governor who goes to the bank to collect state funds from the bank manager. We demonize the main leaders, yes we cannot excuse the leaders because they should be value exemplars regarding accountability and corruption, but before any of the ex- Governors or any executive head in any public organization can collect public funds, it has to pass through processes involving a lot of paper work. So how do we keep demonizing chief executives and we leave out the motley crowd of chief officials in the entire bureaucratic systems who were involved in the paperwork required to safeguard such funds. Our problem is that of a systemic failure; therefore, it must be given a systemic solution. How, for instance, do we hope to tame corruption, when there are no administrative triggers that can immediately raise multiple control alarms when a pension fund manager moves N37 billion to the wrong place, is there any bank in Nigeria which will close for work, if it cannot account for N5 billion at the end of a working day?

    You have maintained that the system that allows corruption to thrive should be held responsible for pervasive corruption. What about the individuals who run these systems?

    The individuals are components of a system, the system is far more important than the individuals and must be stronger than the individuals. Management controls in any system should embody the whole system; that is why you have in any management system both bureaucratic and normative controls. Bureaucratic control includes financial controls, quality controls and so forth, while normative control includes the codes of good practices expected of any member of an organization, all control mechanisms should have consequences for avoiding variance from expectations. We can see from the degree of variance from the expected performance in our public services that the control mechanisms are either anaemic, absent or defective. The important question is what are we doing about it, or what do we plan to do about it? Because as the doctors say, accurate diagnosis is 70 per cent of treatment. Now that we know the disease, how do we plan to cure it and rehabilitate our system?

    Is that the reason why you have consistently declared that, without the rule of law, Nigeria would not make any meaningful progress?

    Absolutely yes! The rule of law through consequences for wrong doing with negative impact on society or variance from expected conduct. If you give six months imprisonment for embezzlement of N30 billion and you allow the convict to spend that six months in the executive annex of a high class hospital, or restrict the convict to a government guest house, what message or consequence has been sent to the empirical world of those who undermine the sources of the collective wellbeing of the people in a society?

    How can Nigeria overcome its security challenge, particularly the unending killings by the Boko Haram sect?

    We must take a hard look at our security structure in order to meet the challenges of our time. There is no country which can secure every part of its border and every single spot, hence the current trend is for community policing, where we have a ‘whole of society’ approach to securing the community with everyone playing a role in the welfare of the community. But it is the responsibility of government to create an ambiance in which everyone must feel a sense of belonging and an obligation to contribute. It is true that we cannot expect everyone in any society to conform, but we have to find a way to attain a consensus of the majority in order to manage pockets of deviation.

    The Boko Haram phenomenon is not a novelty in state development; we have a situation in which non-state actors take up an anarchic strategy and try to impose their ideology upon the state. This is not the first time people have made such attempts in human history, on social, religious or economic motivations. However, what we must find out is, what is sustaining such efforts and what impels people to be captive of this motivation? Because we can repress the acts of Boko Haram, but if we do not try to understand the idea behind it, we cannot extinguish it, because the best weapon against an idea is a superior idea, when you present the superior evidence of an idea to contest other ideas, in the end humans will tend towards what suits them best, this is why I find the methods of Boko Haram very suspicious, particularly because it purports to be a religious group, how do you bring people to God by killing innocent people, the best persuasion for any religious principle should start with the relationship of its adherents to other people and its respect for the life of others..once you start any argument by taking the life of innocent people, in my view you have nothing to say that is worth listening to, and when you propagate ideas by compulsion and not persuasion, It has no place in the modern world because conviction to any idea must be voluntary to be sustainable.

    What is your reaction to the Federal High Court ruling that N37 billion should be paid as compensation for the destruction of Odi communities in Bayelsa tate?

    The massacre and total destruction that took place in Odi was reminiscent of the civil war. The action in a supposed ‘civil rule’ reflected the lowest point of discredit of our democracy. The action was uncivil, crude and savage to say the least. The court of law has just added its voice and seal to what has been well condemned and has moved beyond mere condemnation to a deservable award of monetary compensation. It is a confirmation of the views some of us held then, that the wanton killings and total destruction of a whole community by soldiers ordered by the government of former President Obasanjo was a retaliation for the unfortunate and extremely condemnable killing of a number of policemen by militants and not an action to restore law and order nor taken in search for and arrest of those who killed those policemen in the course of serving the fatherland, because no militant was arrested or killed in that unfortunate incident. Instead, government soldiers led action on rather innocent able-bodied young men and women law abiding village people, mainly old men and women who were unable to run and escape the shooting of the ravaging soldiers who set houses ablaze, as recalled and graphically shown a few days ago on AIT news bulletin. The judgment could not have come at a better time than now when former President Obasanjo has been in the news recommending this same approach over the Boko Haram challenge that would have led to wiping out communities in the northern part of the country, if adopted by the current government because of the action of a minority extremists group, that do not represent the values of the majority of our brothers and sisters in the North. Just imagine what would happen in the northern part of the country, if this method had been adopted. One hopes such judgment would be extended to the victims of the Zaki Biam massacre where similar killings and destruction took place.

    What is your reaction to the federal government’s plan to appeal against the judgment?

    To appeal against the judgment is to justify the ‘Assad type’ method that was used in an attempt to solve a militancy problem that led to mass killings and total destruction of a whole community, a method which turned the protective weapons of the state against the people it should protect. That method has not found attraction to the current government with respect to the Boko Haram challenge; and more importantly a court of law has condemned it and has awarded compensation. What government should do now is to simply comply and ensure payment of the compensation ordered by the court because the court judgment also portends a moral judgment which seeks to ask the question of how much we value the lives of innocent citizens, to negate the court judgment would be to belie the constitutional claims made on the welfare of citizens in section II of the constitution.

    By next year, Nigeria will be 100 years as a country on account of the 1914 amalgamation. What are your thoughts about this milestone?

    My thoughts are questions like why are we still grappling with the problems of nationhood? Why are we just a country and not a nation? And why are we not at peace with ourselves as a people with common goals? People from every part of the country are talking about the urgent need for development. In fact, the challenges, either of militancy, kidnapping or the current Boko Haram’s murderous campaign, that is religious in content, have all been attributed to lack of development.

    Yet, we have refused to address those factors that have undermined development. We abandoned the federal template and its fiscal features, which those who fought for our independence settled for as the best arrangement that would accommodate our diversities and at the same time promote rapid development and competition as witnessed in the First Republic. The key issues that create such centrifugal forces that tear us apart are known; yet, they remain unaddressed. Now is the time to come together in a forum and address issues that have undermined the smooth runing of this country.

     

  • APC will rid Nigeria of corruption, other vices – Shekarau

    APC will rid Nigeria of corruption, other vices – Shekarau

    A former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, has said the newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC) will rid the country of corruption and other social vices.

    He stated that the party, which comprised “people of like minds,” will chart a new course for Nigeria and her citizens.

    Shekarau spoke at the induction and investiture ceremony of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, at the weekend.

    The event was organized to formally usher in the new national president of the body, Major. Gen. Umaru Usman (rtd) and his deputy, Mr. Frank Nneji, who were elected in May last year.

    Besides Usman and Nneji, several others, including the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, an engineer, were also inducted into the body.

    “The APC has been defined in several quarters as ‘Armoured Personnel Carrier’ which has come to dismantle every elements of corruption in the land. It will breathe new life into our society and send packing those that had stalled our progress both as a nation and as citizens, “he said amidst a chorus of laughter from the gathering.

    However, the former Kano State governor, refused to disclose the strategies the party will adopt in ridding the country of graft.

    “Wait until the manifesto of APC is out, after that we will tell Nigerians how we are going to wage war against corruption in the land,” he said.

    On the prevailing insecurity in the land, the ANPP stalwart said: “We shall be addressing this soonest. I don’t want to pre-empt the manifesto and the priority of APC.

    “These are issues that are very relevant and central to our concern and efforts. We are going to address this very seriously. It is not going to be business as usual and we are not going to give Nigerians old wine in new bottles; it is going to be new drinks in new bottles.

    “And concerning the security problem in Kano, I don’t think it is fair to isolate the security problem of that state, as we are talking about something that is affecting the whole nation. Nigeria is being threatened security wise; it is the responsibility of every citizen. It is no longer the issue of government or security agencies. It is the responsibility of every citizen to be law abiding and vigilant.

    “80 per cent of security depends on information, unless the citizens are up and doing, nobody should sit back home and wait to be protected. We must sit up and be part and parcel of the arrangement and of course we challenge the government also to sit up.

    “At APC, we will be rolling out our programme to deal with the situation. The committee will make recommendation; I am sure what they will bring in and address some of these issues that will turn things around for the best.”

     

  • Corruption Incorporated

    Corruption Incorporated

    I can now understand people who say they do not read newspapers in Nigeria because of the fear of reading something that would give them heart attacks. The level of corruption in our country is just mind boggling. Nigeria produces on daily basis anything from 2million – 2.5million barrels of crude oil. Authoritative sources say that 400,000 barrels is stolen everyday from these. This is 40million dollars every day and over 14.6billion dollars a year. The government knows about this but it is doing nothing either because of collusion, ineptitude or incompetence. These figures are just mind boggling in a country whose per capita income is less than $1000 a year. Imagine what the stolen money could do to transform this country and put us at par with other countries in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    We have institutions that would reduce if not stop outright the corruption that is ruining every aspect of our lives in Nigeria. We have the Police, the security organisations, the armed forces and the courts of law. A retiring naval officer recently upbraided the courts for freeing bunkerers arrested by the Nigerian Navy after apparently taking money from the criminals. Somebody who knows very well what is going on in Nigeria once said “we have reached the stage of irredeemability in the criminal, and corrupt fraudulent shenanigan going on in our country”. Those of us who are optimistic about our country tend to dismiss this as alarmist effusion but recently, the case of the Police Pension fraud in which 32billion naira Police Pension was stolen by six or so Civil Servants led by one John Yakubu Yusufu shows glaringly that our country is in trouble. The EFCC took these rogues before the presiding judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Justice Abubakar Talba. In order not to prolong the case, Mr Yusufu allegedly confessed to stealing 23.8billion out of the total 32billion naira stolen. We are told he surrendered properties worth about 370million naira and then pleaded for leniency on the grounds that he has old parents and children whose school fees he had to pay. The Judge Abubakar Talba was merciful and magnanimous by sentencing him to two years imprisonment or an option of payment of 750,000 naira fine. Yusufu, full of smiles paid up the money immediately and walked out a free man to enjoy his loot of at least 32billion after the forfeiture of his property and payment of his paltry fine. Everybody was surprised except the judge but nobody is laughing. Even though there is separation of power in this country and the judiciary is an autonomous branch of government, President Goodluck Jonathan should have called in the judge and quietly ask him what offence he Jonathan has committed against the judge that he decided to ruin his administration. If this judgment stands as it is, it can undermine confidence in the President and his administration because not many people will remember the name of Justice Abubakar Talba; what people will remember is that this was done under the administration of President Jonathan. Mercifully the EFCC has re-arrested this felon and charged him to court not for stealing the original sum of 32billion naira but now for a lesser offence of false declaration of assets. The story is continuing. A lot of Nigerians have reacted vigorously to the unfairness of the justice system in this country. The same week this Abuja judgment was passed, the Provost and Registrar of the Cooperative College of Ibadan were jailed five years and three years respectively for embezzling three million naira. In the same country people’s hands have been chopped off for stealing a goat or a cow in northern part of Nigeria.

    The essence of punishment is deterrence. Punishment must not be wicked and unusual but it must be commensurate to the offence committed. In China and the Old Soviet Union, corruption is a capital offence punishable by death. It is interesting to note that 4,000 retired policemen are dying without pensions because the money has been stolen by Yusufu and his friends. It is even more surprising and galling that Civil Servants will steal Police Pensions. Is it that Police Officers are totally irrelevant? One can at least understand, if understand is the word, Teachers Pension been stolen, but it is beyond me to understand that Army and Police Pensions will be stolen by civilians. It is like a sheep taking food from the mouth of a lion.

    Whatever the eventuality of this case, one hopes that this is a challenge and wake –up call to the authorities to take the case of corruption much more seriously. The insecurity, violence and even the Boko Haram movement is not unconnected to poverty and hopelessness. The eradication of corruption and the money saved can certainly be used to lift people up from the degradation of poverty, helplessness and hopelessness in which 65% of the Nigerian population finds itself. Corruption therefore is not only a criminal offence, it is a developmental issue. The only way we can provide security in this country is to create jobs and to get people gainfully employed. If done, this will provide security for the Nigerian people. As long as close to 30% of national revenue is stolen, we will continue to vegetate in our state of arrested development, poverty and insecurity.

  • The scourge of corruption

    The scourge of corruption

    SIR: Nigeria is in the prison of corruption. Corruption is Nigeria’s Achilles heels, its bane. It has eaten off the moral fabric of Nigeria, and it is asphyxiating the country, too. Corruption rears its ugly head in all facets of our national life.

    A Nigerian who is not corrupt is considered to be an abnormal human being. He is called a “mugu” – a sucker. We have a culture of corruption into which teenage youths are socialized. When parents hire surrogate candidates to write such examinations as UTME, SSCE and NECO for their children, they have unwittingly initiated and socialized their children into the culture of corruption.

    It is sad that our educational system has become dysfunctional owing to corruption. Rich parents send their children to Ghana and Europe for schooling as our cult-infested schools have become grounds for staging beauty pageant competitions and propagation of religious bigotry. Our economy is ailing and hemorrhaging from deleterious corrupt practices that are deftly perpetrated by those minding our financial chests and collective wealth. As Nigerians perceive occupying positions of power as opportunity to amass wealth by fair or foul means, our political leaders are helping themselves to our collective wealth.

    Monies that should be channeled into fixing our infrastructure are stolen by people holding positions of influence and power. So, our hospitals have morphed from consulting clinics to mortuaries. Poor people go to our hospital to die, and not to recover from their ailments. Our roads that are filled with craters are death-traps that cause the deaths of Nigerians daily. The dilapidated East-west road has remained an open sore in the psyche of our leaders. In spite of the humongous money injected into the power sector in the country, electricity supply has not improved. Electricity supply in Nigeria is like a maudlin lady with personality disorder, whose mood swings from being hilarious to being cantankerous. Manufacturing industries have relocated to Ghana where regular supply of electricity is guaranteed and assured. Their relocation of their industries to places outside Nigeria further compounds our unemployment problems. So, who is not unconscious of the fact that corruption is the polio that has crippled Nigeria?

    Until corruption is rooted out of Nigeria, Nigeria can’t achieve its potential in spite of its natural and human resources. Can Nigeria develop and become a great country when recruitments into the federal civil service, the Nigerian Army, FRSC, Immigration Services and others are characterized by bribery and corruption? People who are unsuited for jobs in some establishments have got jobs owing to the Nigerian factors of corruption, cronyism and nepotism.

    Sadly, the judiciary has become the cemetery of our hope for a better Nigeria with their questionable judgments. Last week, a High Court sentenced one John Yakubu Yusufu to two years imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N750, 000.00, for stealing N32.8 billion pension funds.

    Is it enough comeuppance for the crime he committed, which pauperized many retired police officers? People with Kleptomaniac tendencies will loot the treasury while in power knowing that the judiciary will give them a very light sentence when they leave power. The National Judicial Council and other regulatory bodies should address and tackle the rot in our judicial system. A corrupt judiciary spells doom and trouble for us. A stitch in time saves nine.

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye

    Uruowulu – Obosi, Anambra State

  • Corruption, poverty threat to national development, says Tambuwal

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that corruption and poverty are national social menaces that are detrimental to national development.

    He said this at a lecture on “Religion, Ethnicity and Corruption: Challenges of National Security” held at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria yesterday.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report said that the lecture was organised by the Centre for Peace, Conflict and Security Studies, ABU, in collaboration with Students’ Representative Council of the institution.

    Tambuwal, who was represented by Rep. Bashir Adamu, Chairman, House Committee on Defence, lamented over the prevalence of corruption and poverty in the country.

    “Corruption is not only in the public service but it cuts across all segments including schools, businesses and even our homes.

    “In the same vein, unity of Nigeria is a foregone conclusion. This should be a topmost priority because the idea of separation is not an issue,” he said.

    The speaker stressed the need for Nigerians to exploit all avenues to ensure corporate existence of the nation through unity, peace, tolerance and understanding of one another’s cultures and values.

    “For democracy to succeed, people must learn to accommodate, tolerate and embrace one another,” Tambuwal said.

    In his speech, the ABU vice-chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, observed that national conflicts were added conflicts emanating from ward, local and state levels.

    Mustapha, who was represented by Prof. Adebayo Joshua, dean, School of Post-Graduate Studies, assured the centre of the institution’s support.

    He hoped that more of such lecture would be organised to enlighten the people on the consequences of the menace.

    The guest speakers, Prof. Aminu Mohammed-Dorayi, of the Institute of Security Studies and Dr Abubakar Saddiq-Muhammad of Political Science Department, ABU, advised Nigerians not to use religion and ethnicity as a means of achieving political goals.

    They identified lack of political will to genuinely deal with corruption, poor criminal justice system, absence of moral code of ethics and integrity benchmark, as some of the factors responsible for endemic corruption in the country.

    The guest speakers also described lack of energy as a threat to national security and called for urgent measures to address the problem to provide employment opportunities to millions of Nigerians.

  • Two judges may face trial for alleged corruption

    Two High Court judges are to face trial for alleged corruption, a source said yesterday.

    Investigations into the misconduct of the judges have been completed.

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) may look into the demonstration against the sentencing of a N23billion pension fraudster, John Yusufu, to six years imprisonment with N750, 000 option of fine.

    According to sources, the judges for trial are from the Federal High Court and the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said besides living above their means, the two judges have been found to be compromising the course of justice.

    The source refused to disclose the identities of the judicial officers.

    The source said: “The government will soon clean up the Judiciary and rid it of bad eggs. Already, there is an ongoing probe of the activities of some judges, which has revealed some startling dirts.

    “Out of about five judges under investigation, we have sufficient evidence of corruption against two judges, including one at the Federal High Court. The other is serving with the FCT High Court.

    “To act as a deterrent to others, disciplinary action will soon be taken against these two judges.

    “The last time we had a cleansing of the Judiciary was in 1994 when the administration of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, raised the Justice Kayode Eso Judicial Reform Panel.”

    Asked when the two judges would be arraigned, the source said: “The report of the findings against the judicial officers will be sent to the relevant Judicial Service Commissions and the National Judicial Council.”

    Section 13(b), Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution reads: “The Federal Judicial Service Commission shall have power to recommend to the National Judicial Council(NJC), the removal from office of the judicial officers specified in sub-paragraph(a) of this paragraph(CJN, Justice of the Supreme Court, the President of the Court of Appeal, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, a judge of the Federal High Court, and others.

    “Recommend to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the removal from office of the judicial officers specified in sub-paragraph of this paragraph.”

    “Section 21 (b), Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, says: “The National Judicial Council(NJC) shall have power to recommend to the President the removal from office of the judicial officers specified in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph, and to exercise disciplinary control over such officers.”

    On the public outcry against the Monday judgment in which a former pension director, John Yusufu, was given a N750,000 option of fine for stealing billions of Naira, the source added: “The National Judicial Council(NJC) will look into issues raised in the petition against Talba, which was submitted on Wednesday.

    “The NJC will look at what the law says, the circumstances or negotiation (if any) leading to the judgment between the parties, and why the judge gave an option of fine.

    “The fact is that there had been some issues against Talba, including allegation of having 11 children, which might make him to live above his means. It is left to the NJC to ask the anti-graft agencies to probe this aspect of alleged corruption.

  • Is the political party corruption? Are soldier’s and politician’s oaths different? Davos!

    Is the political party corruption? Are soldier’s and politician’s oaths different? Davos!

    Nigeria is at a needless moral and monetary crossroads from theft and stealing- masquerading as ‘corruption’ which seems to be a judicially ‘forgivable sin of politics’. Quite apart from the massive and multi-dimensional financial extortion and theft in cash there is the ‘other corruption’- lost leadership, poor decision-making, ethnic protectionist decision making, false federalism, inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic discrimination and social immorality. Even ‘plea bargaining’ has been Nigerianised for politicians and billionaires. But judicial equity exists only if a goat thief can ‘plea bargain’ away a three year prison sentence by returning goat’s tail, leg or skin if the police and judiciary have not chopped the evidence!

    ‘Are you a politician and corrupt and a thief?’ If ‘yes’ step aside. 2013 Nigeria has no place for you. ‘Can serving politicians become non-corrupt and non-thieving?’ ‘Why are they corrupt and thieving anyway?’ ‘If we had better policing and anti-corruption agencies, would political corruption and thieving reduce?’

    Let us get something straight about politics and democracy in Nigeria. The current political class is making Nigerian citizens feel that they, not the politicians, are ‘the problem’ with Nigerian democracy. It is even the mantra of public lectures. After recommending Public Private Partnerships to fill the huge hole left by official government corruption and provide more money to steal, the lectures target the citizens for not overcoming massive electoral fraud or not ‘Arab springing’ and of course dying. ‘A citizenship gets the government it deserves’ summarises the attitude. But the citizens, especially non-civil service private sector citizens, have suffered billions in lost incomes during strikes, Nigerians have died, over 500 during the Abiola annulment and since then assassinations, maiming and lethal political violence incidents. The people of Nigeria are told to forget the rigging, cheating, cross carpeting, unknown candidates all misnamed benignly as ‘political electioneering’ instead of ‘Crimes Against Nigeria’. Somehow when the word ‘political’ is put in front of a murder or election forgery it is transformed into an unsolvable ‘lesser crime’ a misdemeanour, a juvenile incident, a joke, judicially ‘alright’. No punishment. ‘Go for re-election and please do it properly this time!’ Rubbish! Political crimes must be punished in prison, like for goat theft. A vote is more valuable than a goat. Nigerians, your misguided acceptance N500 to vote is not the cause of our political problems.

    Politicians, military and civilian, cannot escape blame for Nigeria’s failure to provide 100,000Mw power, books and sports equipment for all schools, pothole free transport and modern 200kph railways and MDGs with all the riches God has given to Nigeria. The people were never at decision-making business meetings, contract awards where Nigeria’s budgets were divided between greedy political parties, contractors and potholes.

    It seems the political party is designed as the greatest corruption organ in Nigeria draining the budgets of the nation through fictitious or inflated contracts and extortion from contractors and consultants, having access without accountability? Politicians are not infants but adults who voluntarily and automatically take responsibility for development and are solely responsible for their actions and inactions, their morals and immorality.

    Our soldiers from 18 years will be fighting and dying in Mali for what reward? Already the first two have died on home soil? Our policemen, some just 18 are ‘training’ in a pigsty. Congrats to IGP Abubakar and Channel CSR Project for this ‘revelation’ about the Ikeja Police College that we all know. Many years ago, the Americans sent to teach new techniques at the College had to leave because it was not fit for animals. But it is an widespread educational malady in ‘pigsty’ secondary and tertiary hostels and schools across Nigeria while Nigeria’s politicians grow fatter. What is the Police College’s annual budget over 30 years? Who stole it? Who underfunded the college? Who dehumanises the trainees? Which past IGPs now advising Abubakar on ‘good police governance’ neglected the Police College and used it as punishment posting for senior officers? Today the seniors of these 18+ year olds are dying daily in kidnappings, robberies, bank attacks and terror attacks. They die as adults, often unmourned. They, like the soldiers, took an oath to protect Nigerians and serve the country, laying down their lives.

    Politicians also take a sworn oath to serve with honesty. Does it not matter to their souls? So even if they are fraudulent with honesty, the oath to serve Nigeria is still binding. So the politician must be anti-corrupt and honest. But can good come out of bad? What was the original motivation for running? Corruption?

    This ‘’politicians’ responsibility’’ argument does not absolve the electorate from some responsibility. Within one week a politician had demands from his constituents totalling over N5million for school and hospital bills. Citizens invite politicians to functions, expecting megabucks. Citizens elevate the politician to a minor god by bowing to ‘Excellency’, ’First Lady’, ‘Distinguished’, ‘Honourable’. Citizens create the political monster and are surprised that it bites them!

    Where would Nigeria be without the Corporate Social Responsibility, the Parent Teachers and Old Students Associations, NGOs, DFID, USAID etc? ‘Government cannot do it alone’ is a smokescreen for corruption and the need for Public Private Partnerships is questioned in the light of a trillion naira losses to corruption scams.

    DAVOS World Economic Summit must begin to get a new deal for the world’s poor or the revolutions will be worldwide. How can Morgan Stanley ‘return to profitablity’ and not repay ruined shareholders?

  • Corruption: Nigeria’s biggest problem?

    To put simply, Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.

    It is an illegal, immoral and dishonest behavior, particularly among people in position of authority.

    It is the fastest growing industry in Nigeria. There is a saying in some quarters that “if Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”

    Graft has eaten deep into the nation’s fabric such that it would be an herculean task to find honest people in different corners of Nigeria.

    It has become a constant discussion on radio, television and other media. Corruption has dangerously threatened our society to an extent people don’t really cherish hardwork and diligence anymore.

    Those who acquire material wealth by crooked means were praised and honoured, while hardworking and poor people are treated with disdain.

    Corruption has become our way of life. Corruption is everywhere, you can see, feel, hear and even smell corruption in the country. The influence of corruption is highly felt in all sectors, including the various arms of government.

    The private sector and religious group are not left out; sometimes I wonder what the country has become. Those people that pilfered our commonwealth are hero worshipped by all and sundry.

    Even those who were expected to spearhead the fight against corruption in the society are also guilty of the same offence.

    Or what would you say about a police officer who was summoned to arrest a criminal only to turn around and accuse the complainant of committing the offence after money had exchange hands?

    Some Nigerians have expressed their views on the situation.

    To Sylvia Chikeze, a youth corps member, successive governments in Nigeria had not demonstrated the necessary political will to tackle the problem head on.

    She said, “The mentality of an average Nigerian is being exploited by our government in the sense that if you don’t do whatever it takes to either be rich or successful then you are never going to get anything. Corruption is something that has eaten deep into our society and I doubt if it can ever be tackled.”

    A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Musa Olisa, corroborated Chikeze’s view, saying government only paid lip service to anti-graft war.

    “We need political will to tackle graft in this country and it is obvious that the government is not ready to do this, but only paid lip service to it.

    “Corruption has gone round in Nigeria – both in the public and private sectors. Individuals too are not left out. Government at all levels are not genuinely concerned about tackling corruption. Several factors had made people think that the police force is one of the most corrupt organizations in Nigeria, but this is not true.

    “Recent reports have shown that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Nigerian Airways and even the media are more corrupt and that shows how far we had gone as a nation, “Olisa told our correspondent.

     

     

  • Should we allow greed and corruption to kill Nigeria?

    Should we allow greed and corruption to kill Nigeria?

    SIR: The word ‘greed’ is defined in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English as “a strong desire for more food, money, power, possessions etc, than you need”while ‘corruption’ is defined as “dishonest, illegal, or immoral behaviour, especially from someone with power”. It is noteworthy that in our country today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to draw a line of distinction between greed and corruption as greed starts from where corruption ends while corruption starts where greed ends. If the avalanche of mind-boggling reports on greed and corruption that daily dot pages of newspapers is anything to go by, then the services of a soothsayer or a star-gazer will not be required before we all appreciate the fact that our country is indeed at the crossroads.

    It would be recalled that at the peak of the sanitization of banks in Nigeria in 2009 when the Central Bank had to inject N420bn to bail out five banks (International Bank, Afribank, Oceanic Bank, Union Bank, FinBank Plc) with non-performing loan portfolio totaling N747bn hanging on their necks, the EFCC came to offer assistance in debts owed the ailing banks by greedy Nigerians who camouflaged as businessmen. At the end of the day, the commission was able to recover N171bn from the debtors. However, the commission, rather than being supported and encouraged to do more, was castigated by some Nigerians for taking the debt recovery as a responsibility.

    The Chairman of the Presidential Pension Reform Task Team (PPRTT) disclosed to the public that the team was currently investigating a “N3.3 trillion pension fraud” and revealed further that the achievement of the team included the “cutting of N1bn police pension monthly releases (from N1.59 billion to N500 million) and the ‘stoppage of monthly leakage of N4.2billion from the Head of Service pension office”.

    Corruption among public office holders must have informed President Goodluck Jonathan’s warning that Nigeria might disintegrate if serious steps were not taken to check the menace.

    President Goodluck has appealed to Nigerians for patience with his administration with a promise to improve on governance by his administration in year 2013. The question remains: which aspect of governance will Nigerians want the President to improve upon as a matter of priority? It is certain to be eradication of pervasive greed and corruption in the polity. There is need for the Jonathan administration to revisit the jettisoned private bill on assets forfeiture of greedy and corrupt Nigerians to the government earlier submitted to the National Assembly by a former EFCC Chairman, Chief (Mrs.) Farida Waziri. There is also the need for an executive bill on ‘whistle-blowing’ as a fundamental right of the citizens in the country to be sent to the National Assembly. The Central Bank has already taken a step towards this direction but the Federal Government and the state governments still need to borrow leaf from the apex bank and introduce the act of ‘whistle-blowing’ in all the Federal and States’MDAs.

    Odunayo Joseph

    Lagos

    odunayo_ joseph2006@yahoo.com

     

     

  • Attitude, not corruption, is Nigeria’s problem –Jonathan

    Attitude, not corruption, is Nigeria’s problem –Jonathan

    • Believes Nigeria will be better if 50% emulate Azazi
    • Rain of honours for former NSA at burial

    The virtues of the late former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Owoye Azazi re-echoed yesterday as he was laid to rest in Yenagoa with speaker after speaker lauding his patriotism,hard work, leadership qualities, fairness and friendly disposition to all and sundry.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, who made Azazi his NSA, said Nigeria would be far better than it is now if only 50 per cent of the citizens can emulate his fairness at all times.

    Going down memory lane,the President said when he had to appoint his first set of service chiefs after the death of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, it was Azazi he turned to for advice in view of his military background and that his assessment of each of the nominees for the different offices played a big role in the emergence of the appointees.

    He said all through that period,Azazi’s primary consideration was merit.

    The President, who was reacting to an earlier remark by one of the officiating cleargies at the funeral about corruption in Nigeria, said he does not agree that corruption is the cause of all of Nigeria’s problems and that if more Nigerians can emulate Azazi’s virtues of fairness,honesty and competence the country would be better than it is.

    “Corruption is not the cause of our problem, Nigeria has more institutions that fight corruption.Most of the issues we talk about are not corruption.If we do things properly, if we change our attitudes of doing things most of the thing we thinks are caused by corruption are not,” he said.

    “If Nigerians would change their attitude, you will realise that most of these issues being attributed to corruption are not caused by corruption.

    “Recently, I met with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps who told me that they had discovered that majority of the road accidents are recorded on good roads. “So you can see it is not a matter of corruption, it is an issue of the people’s attitude.

    “If we change our attitude to life , if all Nigerians do what is right, Nigeria will change”, he stressed,adding that if Azazi, from a minority group in the country could reach the height of his career on merit,others can also do the same.

    Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State described Azazi as one of Nigeria’s finest military officers and a great ambassador not only of the state but of the entire country.

    The governor who spent almost half of his time talking about his own achievements in office announced the intention of the state government to endow an award in a reputable institution in the country in honour of the deceased.

    An annual lecture is also to be sponsored by his government while a committee on Ijaw history has been mandated to document his life and times.

    He also said a befitting edifice would be named after him.

    Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, taking a cue from his Bayelsa State counterpart, said a major road now under construction in Port Harcourt will be renamed tomorrow in honour of Azazi.

    Azazi,he said “is a good man in the true sense of the word and a good Nigerian in the true sense of the word.

    “I had a private relationship with him.He called me his brother.I was the last to speak with him on phone before he boarded that day,” he said.

    The Chief of Army State,Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika called him a brillian officer who “ was outstanding in all the courses he attended and the overall best student at the War College.

    “He was very fair and transparent. He lived what he preached. He was detribulised, ever-forgiving and like water ‘he no get enemy.”

    Petroleum Resources Minister,Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke said of him: “He was our most thorough intelligence analyst.He had a great sense of humility and strength of character.”

    One of his predecessors in office as Chief of Army Staff,General Alexander Ogomudia said: “he was a great general. His performance spoke for him. I appointed him Director of Military Intelligence and we related well.”

    Gen Ogomudia said the helicopter crash that claimed Azazi’s life should not dampen Nigerians’ faith in the aviation sector and cited the example of Pakistan where one of the generals there perished in an air crash with his entire family.

    During the service, Mrs. Akpolade Okora-Azazi read the first lesson, and Owoye Azazi read the second lesson.

    The casket bearing his body was conveyed to its final resting place by an ambulance belonging to the Nigerian Navy at about 3.30 pm at the Ijaw Heroes Park in Yenagoa before it was lowered into the grave amidst military gun salute.

    The widow, Alero, the children and other family members performed the dust to dust rites.

    General Azubike spoke of Azazi’ s past and how he contributes to the army.

    Arch-Bishop Ogbebo said the prayers at the grave side.

    Present at the funeral were President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, governors Dickson (Bayelsa), Amaechi (Rivers) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ministers, National and State legislators, former Bayelsa governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former Military governor of the old Rivers State, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, Service Chiefs, National security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retired) President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritshejafor, former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, serving and retired military officers and traditional rulers.

    Also there were the wife of the Bayelsa State governor, Mrs Rachael Dickson; the wife of Rivers governor, Mrs Judith Amaechi; Rear Admiral John Kpokpogiri (rtd); , former NDDC Managing Director and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, former JTF commander in the Niger Delta, Major General Sarkin Yakin Bello (rtd); Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni (rtd), former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; Speaker of the Bayesa State House of Assembly, Benson Kombowei, Finance Minister, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah;and Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe.

    President later left for his home town of Otueke.

    Azazi,the then governor of Kaduna State,Mr.Patrick Yakowa and four others died on December 15 at Okoroba, Bayelsa State when a Nigerian Navy, Augusta helicopter carrying them exploded shortly after take off.

    Azazi’s wife and children fought back tears as they performed the dust to dust rites for him after the funeral oration by the Bishop of Bomadi Vicariate, His Lordship, Most Revd Hyacinth Egbeboh.