Over the years, it has
been identified in countless studies that one of the core reasons Nigeria has
failed to develop to its full potential is pervasive corruption.
Corruption, it is said,
runs through the entire gamut of the country’s life such that many official
enquiries and probes have exposed widespread monumental fraud, bribery,
embezzlement, rent seeking and kickbacks across the public and private sectors.
It can’t be emphasised enough
that funds which ought to have gone into building infrastructure and generally
improving the lives of the people invariably end up in the pockets of some
people. The result is that healthcare, education, food security, human
security, job creation and other areas where funds are needed to make life
meaningful to the people are severely neglected. Why? The monies budgeted
for these sectors over the years are spirited away by a few heartless crooks.
Today, all over the
country evidence of this willful theft and unconscionable looting of public
funds can be seen in the appalling healthcare delivery system, deplorable
facilities in educational institutions, avoidable food importation, massive
youth unemployment, dreadful state and federal roads, as well as shockingly
ill-equipped armed forces, police and other security outfits.
Even the emergence of
violent extremism in the North-east, militant agitations in the Niger Delta and
the serial abysmal performance of Nigeria’s athletes in the Olympic Games cannot
be attributed to anything other than corruption.
In the words of Eghosa
Osagie, professor of comparative politics and Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion
University, Okada, “It is easy to see how corruption breeds on the ownership of
the state on the one hand, and the weak bonds and structures of accountability
on the other.” According to him, corruption does not symbolize privatization of
public office for private gain, embezzlement and other negative pecuniary
transactions that deprive society of much needed resources only. It also
includes the manipulation and subversion of institutions, rules regulations,
procedures and laws which he said is mostly evident in the flawed electoral
process.
Indeed the damage
corruption inflicts on society is huge, costing the global economy some $2.6trn
annually, according to John Kerry, US Secretary of States during his recent
visit to Nigeria. From all indications, going by the manner corruption has torn
through its fabric, Nigeria no doubt would be one of the countries contributing
a large percentage to the global scam.
Mindful of the havoc it
continues to wreak on nations, Kerry describes corruption as not just a
disgrace and a crime, but also dangerous. He praised President Muhammadu Buhari
for confronting the monster frontally and pledged continual support in that
regard. From the way the war is being conducted, he surmised that Nigeria could
in fact be a model to other nations.
And truly since assuming
office May 29, 2015, Buhari has lived up to his campaign promise of tackling
corruption headlong and providing a fresh template for instilling transparency
and accountability. On the matter of corruption, credit goes to him for he
indeed hit the ground running. Seeing the way the screw has been turned on
treasury looters and the big thieves in the society, all those harbouring the
belief that there are ‘untouchables’ who would never be called to give account
are now beginning to have a rethink.
The message is now out
there that under this administration, it would no longer be ‘business as
usual.’ But the fight should also not be conducted in a manner that leaves the
impression that Buhari as the general of this war has no army behind him. It
cannot be denied that at the federal level the battle is raging, but it has to
percolate to the state and local government levels for it to register the
desired impact. Governors, especially those of the ruling party, must take a
cue from Buhari in the quest for zero tolerance for corruption.
But by far the greatest
army in this all-important assignment is the now rejuvenated Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The institution has so far demonstrated not
just the courage, but also the will and the focus to ensure that corruption is
reduced to the barest minimum in the country.
The Acting Chairman of
EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has not betrayed the image of him that was awash in the
media when his name was announced as the new anti-corruption czar, in November
last year. Magu was said to be the squirrel teeth that cracked many cases
leading to the conviction of some treasury looters during the tenure of the
first chairman of that agency, Mallam Nuhu Ribau. He was described as more
ruthless in the anti-graft war front than even his famed former boss, Nuhu
Ribadu. The man is proving to us that all that was true, and even more!
Going by the accolades and
international respect his work has earned Nigeria from all over the world, Magu
is indeed a patriot that should be encouraged.
Rising up to the rots of
corruption and challenging the powerful cabals in the temple of graft is no
mean task. It is not for the lily-livered nor is it for one with moral deficit.
Under Magu’s stewardship,
and with the full support of President Buhari, EFCC has regained its biting
teeth by tackling cases of monumental fraud. Several billions of naira have
been recovered from looters and many of them have been dragged to courts.
Considering all these, by
the time Magu’s appointment is confirmed by the Senate, it is expected that the
anti-corruption war would be more invigorated and the EFCC more emboldened in
its quest to rein in the monster of corruption and the merciless parasites that
have been sucking on our collective patrimony.
*Contributed by Godwin Onyeacholem is a
journalist. He can be reached on gonyeacholem@gmail.com
Pix: EFCC chairman, Mr. Magu.
No comments:
Post a Comment