The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PMB

  • Halliburton: A good start for pmb

    SIR: In line with his electioneering campaign promises, President Buhari a couple of days ago, directed that an investigative committee made up of representatives of all the security agencies should complete the investigation into the much-publicized Halliburton bribery case.

    The Halliburton bribery case was a bribe-for-contract scandal which ravaged the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) projects. In the scam, billions of dollars of the nation’s money were wasted resulting in contract inflation and bribes for the leaders who supervised the deals on behalf of Nigeria and Nigerians. Even though, the trial conducted in the United States resulted in convictions, fines and forfeitures, the United States government has been reluctant to help Nigeria recover the funds, because of the failure of the government to prosecute the big-wigs behind the scam, as an Abuja high court struck out the case against six Nigerians who were arraigned in connection with the bribery scandal that took place between 1994 to 2004.

    Looting and collection of bribes has almost become a legitimate endeavor in Nigeria, especially If you are one of the “big boys” and you belong to the “looters club” or the “eating-class”. Being a member of the “club” provides free access to the treasury, lots of opportunities for looting, and also immunity and freedom from prosecution. It’s the small-time fronts who are usually arraigned and prosecuted by the anti-corruption agencies in the law court, while the “big-fishes” are left alone to enjoy their loots, living lavishly and cruising in choice exotic and flashy cars.

    Even when the big criminals are finally caught and taken to court for prosecution, many of the corrupt judges use the opportunity as privilege to collect their own share of the loot. The integrity of the judiciary has come under intense questioning from Nigerians, as a result of the ways corrupt public officers and officials were virtually given a pat in the back through sentences and fines that are far from being commensurate with the millions and billions they looted.

    Nigerians are waiting to see how the Halliburton bribery case unfolds as this will be used as a ‘litmus test’ to measure the sincerity, political will, the resolve and the commitment of this administration to fight corruption.  We hope to see more of the abandoned high-profile cases of corruption revisited by the Buhari administration, not only with the aim of bringing offenders to book and getting them to return their loots, but to serve as deterrent to others who may be willing and planning to dip their hands into the collective resources and wealth of Nigerians.

     

    • Hussain Obaro,

     Ilorin, Kwara State

  • NASS remunerations: PMB must move fast

    SIR: At the onset of a new administration in Nigeria, it is appropriate to have a new look at many things that bedevil the nation. Apart from those that are apparent to the eye, there is one issue which continues to evade public attention. The lack of information and interest by the public on the total remuneration including take home pay of our Senators and Members of the House of Representative is one of those unpardonable lapses by Nigerians.

    Members of the National Assembly like all federal elected or appointed Nigerians are all political office holders.  They are paid by tax payers, personal or corporate. Nothing should be shrouded in mystery about the   benefits these public servants and others take from the national till.  In fact, the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is charged with the responsibility, among others, of determining the remuneration of all political office holders (from councilor of a local government to the President) and also to judicial officers.  This remuneration package is expected to be passed through the Presidency to the National Assembly for enactment into law.  Both the President and the National Assembly are constitutionally barred from increasing the recommended remuneration by one kobo but could reduce it as they may find it fit.

    Unfortunately, the above constitutionally provision has been routinely and shamelessly flouted by our lawmakers.  I am not sure of any recommendation of the Revenue Commission that enables a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives to earn N3million per month.  But because of the cloud of doubt which envelopes certain aspects of the working of the National Assembly, nobody seems to care to know details of their take home pay. The height of impunity was demonstrated by the Clerk of the National Assembly who allegedly refused to give details to a Committee set up by government or even to a judicial body.  In better climes, this would be completely unacceptable.

    The fairy tale that is making the rounds is that some senators earn up to N12 million N13 million per month, when these annual remunerations are broken down into calendar months.

    President Buhari has many problems on his laps.  It is because of the existence of these problems that he was massively supported during the last election.   He shall not be heard to be weary or hesitant in taking appropriate remedial actions.  Interestingly, one of the purported amendments which the last National Assembly sent for President Jonathan’s signature was a lifelong pension scheme of the principal officer of the two houses.  If this is not milking the nation dry, I don’t know what else it is.  Mercifully, Goodluck Jonathan refused to sign into law this amendment which in any case did not pass through the constitutional procedures expected of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

    The question then arises, why should our rulers, that is people at the top always feel free to provide for themselves at the expense of the larger society? Oversight functions, Constituency Projects, etc are avenues for direct stealing.  When a Committee of the National Assembly is set up to probe an erring MDA, the latter will be requested to provide funds which must have been provided for by the National Assembly ab initio.  To me, there is no corruption that can match the one being perpetrated by our ‘elected’ rulers.  It is  nauseating, they do it with bravado and impunity and if the executive had the effrontery of asking questions, the next thing is conspiracy for impeachment.

    No, it can’t continue, Nigeria must be saved from less than 1% of the population that appropriates more than 10% of our national wealth.  We must know what our National Assemblymen earn.  There must be a change.  Let PMB start from the National Assembly, we will all line up behind him.

     

    • Deji Fasuan, MON, JP,

    Ekiti State.