Is this Administration Still Fighting Corruption?
The present administration, led by PMB, swept to power in April 2015 on a wave of popularity, and its main appeal then was its pledge to kick out corruption, which is Nigeria’s major hindrance to development. Now after two years in power, many analysts believe the federal government has not done enough to purge its top ranks of high-profile corrupt practices and corruption allegations, with recent leaked memos and top committee investigations. To you, is the administration still fulfilling its pledge to check corruption? If not, what should be done?
ABIMBOLA AKOSILE
* No. This administration has obviously kept a blind eye on corruption e.t.c even as cancerous high profile cases of deadly corruption rot driving Nigeria underground are being unearthed daily by patriotic whistleblowers, glaring evidences, and self-confessions e.t.c are ignored or selected. External borrowing is soaring dangerously and Nigerians are apprehensive of where this anti-graft war is actually heading now. Chasing rainbows again? The news media is awash with numerous accusations and counter accusations of corrupt crimes nationwide. Yet only the poor masses face jungle justice. The best time to act is now.
– Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State
* Corruption can come in the form of bribery, embezzlement, fraud, blackmail; can be small-scale involving a sector of a company, or large-scale through government e.t.c. Yes, the present administration led by PMB have succeeded in fulfilling its pledges, e.g. enforcement on use of Bank Verification Number (BVN) and introduction of a unified Treasury Single Account (TSA) for all government revenue and other incomes with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). But government needs to empower the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant institutions to able to fight and prosecute offenders, ensure implementation of the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS), and adopt the culture of good governance and accountability, transparency in their discharge of duties, timely payment of salaries, improvement on social welfare schemes, establishment of anti-corruption courts. Relevant laws that will help in fighting and enforcement on corruption should also be passed.
– Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Abuja
* The words and body language contrast. A man is bound by his words, so should a mandate be too.
– Ms Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos
* They are not; long ago, the President was advised to change his ministers, and as always, he takes his time. How can he fight corruption when his GMD awarded contracts worth twenty-five million dollars without due process? Yet he is seeking approval for a foreign loan? Is it not for two million dollars that Dasuki has been placed under detention since?
– Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna
* Yes, PMB is doing great. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) e.t.c. are on their toes, tracking down, prosecuting numerous high profile criminals, corrupt captains of industries, questionable moneybags, collaborators, crooked foreigners e.t.c are facing justice now irrespective of whose ox is gored. Corruption cases are uncovered daily with focus on judges, police, army, prominent politicians, treasury looters, kidnappers, smugglers, ghost workers, and oil bunkerers e.t.c. We need patience and patriotism now. God bless Nigeria.
– Mr. Apeji Onesi. Lagos State
* In some respects, yes; in others, a capital NO. The body language of the present administration doesn’t inspire much confidence – e.g. the matter of the suspended Secretary-General of the Federation (SGF). Why does it seem the administration is reluctant to implement the report indicting him? However, I think the TSA account phenomenon, for instance, is the sort of medicine we need as a people; caveat – it should be administered thoroughly without fear or favour.
– Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, Brainchild Academic Resources, Apo, Abuja
* This administration has stopped fighting corruption since the time it rejected the call of the Rivers State people not to appoint Amaechi as a minister. There is also the acceptance of allegedly corrupt former governors and appointees of the former ruling party into the current one. What is the fate of the former SGF, the Acting Chairman of EFCC and many others shielded by PMB? This administration has never fought corruption and neither is it still fighting. They should expose the corrupt elements under their cover.
– Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna
* Yes they are, but we the citizens and civil society organisations must promote massive awareness of the evils of corruption at the grassroots.
– Mr. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State
* There is a weakness that this administration has that is being exploited by a few selfish people. The president himself is not corrupt but those around him know that he has a weakness in the area of fighting corruption from within. The military mentality that the buck stops at his table prevents the prosecution of those around him that have been exposed. In other words, if anyone in my administration is prosecuted for corruption, it would give the impression that my administration is also corrupt. Unfortunately even the pending court cases have gradually stalled. The area where corruption is relatively being fought in Nigeria is the area of blocking of leakages. Due to the type of system we have in Nigeria, blocking leakages appears to be the most effective approach against the menace of corruption.
– Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State
* Initially, the present administration made a great show of trying to fight corruption. But as we have found time and again, corruption in Nigeria has a peculiar way of fighting back. And now those corrupt members of the now opposition party have sought refuge in the current ruling administration, both to escape prosecution and to spread the corruption virus. Now, PMB appears to have lost the plot, with his infuriating reluctance to decide on the pending SGF and now NNPC GMD cases. Despite contrary claims by the EFCC, the fight against corruption has stalled for a long time now.
– Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State
* What l know is that one day this government will leave office and the next government will probe them for corruption, if there is any. We must encourage this government for their courage to recover our looted funds from past governments. For PMB not to have taken any action against those corrupted people in his government it is a gradual process; he will shock us. Let us keep our fingers crossed and watch. I believe this government is trying their best to ensure corruption is curtailed in governance, so we can move forward.
– Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State
THE FEEDBACK
Yes, it is: 3
No, it is not: 4
Others: 4
Radical tip: Block leakages!
Total no of respondents: 11
Male: 9
Female: 2
Highest location: Lagos (4)
Next Week: Can Cost of Governance be Reduced Further?
Many citizens believe the governance structure in Nigeria is top-heavy, with the bulk of the emoluments going to the topmost five per cent of the personnel in government employ, and also the legislators in the National Assembly, who have appropriated a hefty slice of the overall budget. Compared to several nations which are even developed than Nigeria, the cost of governance here is seen as wasteful, despite plugging of some loopholes. To you, how can the cost of governance be reduced to ensure effective growth and development?
Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (October 19 & Monday, October 23) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, October 26
