CORRUPTION AND THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC FINANCES IN NIGERIA

The bane of the management of public finances in Nigeria is not corruption. Corruption is a human problem and is not peculiar to Nigeria. The heart of man is desperately wicked. Because of man's fallen state and greed, most would steal, kill and destroy IF they believe they can get away with it. Our real problem in Nigeria is the absence of the rule of law. It is almost certain that there will be no consequences for stealing public funds.

Those corrupt public officers whose postings/assignments do not give them access to public funds have devised ways to still get at our patrimony in collusion with their peers who do to use shell companies and fronts in cornering public procurement contracts. It is now rare to find a public officer in all tiers of government (Federal, State and Local Government) and in all arms of government (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) who is not a contractor.

Another dimension is our system of official mismanagement of public funds. The system encourages and promotes profligacy. This is why our recurrent expenditure is so high. Public sector salaries are low but the allowances and other pecks of office for those in the executive cadre (that is Assistant Directors and above) are obscenely generous. The system is wasteful; most executives in our ministries, departments and agencies have large retinue of personal servants: personal assistants, secretaries, messengers, cooks, drivers, gardeners, security details and sundry hangers-on who are all paid from the public purse. The esta code allowances for foreign trips are too high and foreign trips by our officials (for "training" and various trivial issues which could be handled by emails or phone calls) are too frequent.
The sheer quantity of "Notes Verbale" written daily by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting that various foreign embassies grant visas to our public servants (and their family members, friends and girl-friends/boy-friends) is scandalous!

We must also revisit the rationalisation of public sector agencies as recommended in the Steve Oronsaye Report and prune the work-force. The Federal, States and Local Governments have a bloated civil service. Apart from the perpetual problem of "Ghost Workers" despite the computerisation of the pay-roll system, too many civil servants are actually idle.

The fight against corruption must first be waged against the man/woman in the mirror. We will not have victory in the public space unless we win the battle at the personal level.

God bless Nigeria!

Nigeria di fure!!

THE AFRICAN CULTURE AND DEMOCRACY

The problem with Democracy in Africa is our CULTURE. The African Culture is largely Patriarchal and leadership is essentially Geroncratic. We defer to elders such that they are deemed virtually infallible and all-knowing. 

Traditionally, we rarely question our leaders even when their folly is evident. In Yoruba, we say to the King "Kabiyesi"; that is literarily "Unquestionable"! 

We almost deify our leaders. In the past, our Kings were actually regarded as gods and treated as such. Any wonder then why most Africans still see their political leaders as "gods" who are to be worshipped and served? We fear to hold them accountable. Even when they are corrupt and blatantly loot our treasuries, we are still grateful to them if they remember to tar a few roads and repaint some of our schools. We say they are "performing". Or we exalt them as "progressives"; especially if they are out of power and become "social critics". We defend them to no end and say they are being "persecuted" should they ever come under investigation not to talk of being put on trial for corruption. We love it so. 

So, we will have no revolution. There will be no "African Spring" ("African Harmattan"?). We are "resilient". We love our culture. We like the status quo. Anyway, it suffices for us that we can vent on Facebook and other social media. And our "leaders" know us only too well.

* Sigh *

Whither Africa, my Africa?

But, Nigeria di fure!

Africa di fure!!

DEATH BY INCOMPETENCE

The incompetence and ineptitude of the leadership of the Nigeria Immigration Service is mind-boggling! Where in the world do you invite hundreds of thousands of applicants to contest for 5,000 vacancies?! Why were applications not evaluated and a short-list of say 10,000 persons made? Why were the written tests not organised in several locations across the country with no more than 500 people per examination centre? Could an on-line test not have been done? 

And to compound matters, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Abba Moro, displayed gross insensitivity and nonchalance by attempting to rationalise the stampedes at the examination centres and even blaming the candidates for the tragedy!

There must be consequences for those whose inefficiency and incompetence led to the avoidable deaths. The President should mandate a thorough investigation and those found culpable should be sanctioned. 

Meanwhile, it is untenable for the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to continue in office. They should resign immediately or be duly sacked. 

We are much better than this. 

God bless Nigeria.

Nigeria di fure!

P.S:

Friends, 

Please sign this petition: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-president-of-the-federal-republic-of-nigeria-dr-goodluck-ebele-jonathan-relieve-the-minister-of-interior-comrade-abba-moro-and-the-controller-general-of-immigration-david-s-parradang-of-their-positions?share_id=GnRxuGhsvt&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

I HAVE!

LEGISLATIVE IMPERATIVES TO WIN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Nigeria's anti-corruption laws are too weak and mild. Today, a pick-pocket who manages to steal a few Naira and gets caught would go to jail for a very long time if successfully prosecuted while someone who steals billions of Naira, even if convicted, may not stay in jail for more than six months. We need to amend our laws to give teeth to the agencies which are supposed to fight corruption. Our laws are not strict enough to ensure that sentences are stiff for fraudsters and looters even when conviction is eventually achieved.

We also need legislation on Assets Forfeiture which places the onus on an accused person to prove that he/she rightfully earned th...e income with which he/she acquired properties which appear to be beyond his/her legitimate resources. If a public official cannot account for how he/she earned enough money to own companies, shares in quoted companies, a hill-top mansion, fleet of cars etc., such properties should be forfeited to the Federal Government by a Court Order at the instance of ANY NIGERIAN INDIVIDUAL OR AGENCY. When an Asset Forfeiture case is initiated and successfully prosecuted at the instance of an individual, such a person should be placed in a Whistle-Blower Protection Programme by the Federal Government to ensure that he/she and his/her family are not exposed to any negative repercussion whether physically, economically or psychologically.

Consequently, a Whistle-Blower Protection Act which protects the identity, safety, security and economic well-being of bona fide whistle-blowers in both the private and public sectors should be enacted. Such a law should also have provision for punishment for false or malicious whistle-blowing to deter abuse by persons who may have scores to settle with those whom they wrongfully accuse of corruption.

God bless Nigeria!

Nigeria di fure!!