CORRUPTION--who is not guilty?, By: Igwe Perpetual

By: Igwe Perpetual

 

Show me a nation whose rate of unemployment is alarming, whose state of infrastructure and basic amenities are terribly bad; whose every sector is ineffective; where conscience is buried in the quest to satisfy insatiable greed; where inexplicable wealth is celebrated instead of being questioned; where the quest for fast cash undermines patience and hard work and indiscipline becomes the order of the day and I'll show you a nation that is diseased by corruption.

No one solves a problem by pretending it doesn't exist but by confronting it head-on strength for strength. That's why I see this write-up as a bold step in the right direction as you will be endowed with the mental power to arise and confront this societal menace. Honestly, I find it pertinent that we as a people must begin to learn to admit our failures and struggles. So instead of writing on the topic "corruption--who is guilty?" I would rather write on the topic *Corruption--who is not GUILTY?*

Corruption is not a weakness of the rich, it is not a burden of the wealthy, corruption cuts across the different strata of the badly frayed fabric of our society. No one is guiltless! From a boy across the street who must ask for gratification before he gives a stranger direction to the woman in her shop selling rice with tampered measuring cups. And even the bus conductor and the drivers who increase their fares with such callousness and impunity, corruption has a leach on us all. We are all enslaved.

But if that politician, uncle, father, mentor, sponsor, sugar daddy you so blatantly celebrate, one we hand over a chieftaincy title to, and one we eulogize. If he was put in the dock, he will face charges for rigging to affect electoral outcomes. Acquisition of government properties and establishment for self while in office in the guise of privatization. Appointments and employment even when they are unqualified; theft and diversion of public funds. We are all enslaved!

Demanding bribe in the discharge of official duties; fraternity with antagonistic groups for selfish gains; possession of illegal arms; sales of import and export  licenses; award of contracts to boost an incompetent contractors; playing the politics of religion and tribalism; coveting government properties after a specified tenure of office and using government funds to travel out with loved ones in the guise of medical check-up or other national assignment. If we were to really put the politicians in the dock, would he plead guilty or non guilty, guilty I guess u say?.

But the politicians are not alone in this. We also have the contractor who is guilty of perpetually offering bribes to be awarded contracts, presentation of false financial information and embezzlement of contract funds. The contractors in today's Nigeria are also chronically guilty of influencing the evaluation of processes, partnering with corrupt politicians to defraud the government. Funds are received for defective works, inflict claims and terms of contracts, supplies substandard goods and services and engages in unjustified variations and breach of contracts agreement. Ladies and gentlemen, we are all enslaved!.

Now the media, that are meant to serve as the eyes, ears and voice of the society. Owe the society a dead of educating, informing and entertaining them rightly as well as upholding the cardinal ideas of journalism but what do we see? They are guilty of receiving bribes to kill and suppress information, biased and prejudiced reporting, publishing unverified facts to gain popularity, receiving gifts at executive dinners and media palace to do the biddings of the givers most especially politicians. But whatever the politicians and the contractors do, they only get away with it because they are hyped and branded as saints by the media and equally exonerated by the judiciary.

What then can we say about the judiciary? What are they really guilty of? Abject bias in the hearing and judgment of cases, improper sentencing of convicted criminals, receiving money and materials to unnecessary slow down or speed up cases. Denying accused persons the basic human rights to a fair and impartial trials, blocking avenues to judicial redress after partial judgment. Deliberately withholding or destroying files for a price. Allowing false evidence in order to exculpate a guilty defendant. Undue manipulation of court dates and processes and the falsification of charges and general lack of discipline on the practice of their profession. Ladies and gentlemen, we are all guilty!

In the public sector, public servants are known to ask and receive bribes to carry out or facilitate due process. They embezzle, diverts and steal moneys put under their control. They submit fake credentials, offer bribe for employment, favourable postings and promotion. They patronize nepotism, favouritism against merit and make false claims for benefits. They engage in absenteeism and chronic lateness to work. They lack respect for due process. They oppress and victimize junior colleagues. They inset ghost workers into staff list from whom they receive accumulated benefits.

Now the armed forces, they are also not left out. They are equally guilty of demanding and receiving bribes in exchange for their official duties. They embezzle and diverts funds that have been meant for the purchase of equipment, arms and ammunitions and machineries. These same uniformed men are also guilty of turning blind eyes to favour criminals. Disregard for judicial hearings and proceedings and the maltreatment and the oppression of civilians as an offshoot of a long years of military rule.

Ladies and gentlemen, we can  not also forget the health sector with health personnel guilty of charging unofficial fees in order to attend to patients. Embezzlement of funds meant for the procurement of medical equipment and drugs. Demanding money for medications and materials which should be free. Selling of fake and adulterated medicines to patients. Offering of bribes for the approval of registrations. Receiving bribes to suppress laboratory findings. Revealing confidential health information of patients for money. Ladies and gentlemen, we are all enslaved!

 Fellow Nigerian, I want to repeat that we are all enslaved and guilty of this pandemic called corruption. 

In the oil and gas sector, there is gross embezzlement of fuel subsidy money. Fake invoicing and diversion of petroleum products from refineries. Illegal bunkery and the fraudulent adjustment of meters in petrol stations.

In the aviation sector, there is the inflation of flight fares at will. Cancellation of flight without any timely notice. Abysmal operations and lack of respect and courtesy for passengers. Violation of safety precautions. Overlooking competence level of  pilots and flight engineers, basing the employment of professionals on nepotism and godfatherism instead of merit.

In the educational sector, there is unrepentant admission and employment racketeer; over and under staffing of the system, aiding and abating of examination malpractices, falsification of academic documents; demanding and offering of sex and money to influence grades, receiving of money to help rewrite projects for students, extortion and false declaration of entry qualifications.

Ladies and gentlemen the list would not also be completed if we fail to touch on the banking and financial sector. The lives of people are being toiled with by the fixing of multiple exchange rates.  they charge percentages on money meant for grants before giving them as loans to the public; conspiring with corrupt officials to divert public funds into private accounts; by-passing normal loan application review processes in which case loans are not repaid; colluding with corrupt government officials to give loans to non existent entities and causing the loans to go into default.

From the officials of the maritime sector, who are known to be king being of smuggling activities, cross border clearing of illegal goods and services to the Telecom sector providers who are guilty of making huge profits through hidden charges and undue price inflation of service charges, indeed our value system as a people is greatly tainted. It is evident therefore that when it comes to corruption, we are all guilty and enslaved. 

If everyone is guilty then what is the need to pass judgment? We must all search our consciences and judge ourselves. If we are enslaved, then we must consciously fight to free ourselves from this bondage and captivity. If we must progress as a people and as a nation, then we need to adopt a system called Prevention, Detection, Sanction and Restitution (PDSR)  formula.

On P which stands for Prevention, the anti corruption responsibility rests on every shoulders: parents, teachers, religious leaders, social workers, bloggers, health workers, entertainers, professional bodies, NGOs and everyone must blow the trumpet of war against corruption loud enough to be heard by all. The government must provide well funded and comprehensive public enlightenment programs on anti corruption to conscientize and reengineer the citizen against corruption. Public servants must be paid meaningful wages and employment should be created for youths with youth empowerment programs taken seriously.

On D which stands for Detection, the anti corruption bodies should be empowered and strengthened to position effective surveillance on corruption using human and smart technology resources to fish out corrupt activities in every sector of our society. Everybody everywhere should ensure that corrupt activities and people around them are reported to the appropriate anti corruption bodies for necessary disciplinary actions. Then also the independence of anti corruption bodies must be ensured for efficiency.

On S which stands for Sanction, the anti corruption laws must be strictly enforced and those found guilty should be severely punished. The court should avoid unnecessary delay in trying to file corruption cases and ensure that the defaulters are appropriately dealt wito serve as deterrent to others.

Finally on R which stands for Restitution, every person found guilty of stealing, embezzlement or taking government properties must be made to restore what was taken. In addition to other decisive punishments, distinguished compatriots, ladies and gentlemen I put it to you  that there's no sitting on the fence on this. You are either a slave to corruption when you indulge in corrupt practices or a fighter against corruption when you refuse to engage in corrupt practices. But it is up to us to do all within our power to help our nation in this war. The war against corruption and the change we seek must begin with you, must begin with me. 

Always bear this in mind  that there's nowhere else to be called home. This is the only country we have. If we truly love our country, we must fight to protect and preserve our country, Nigeria. Let's join hands together to see that a new Nigerian is birthed, let's say NO to corruption.

LONG LIVE OUR FATHERLAND, LONG LIVE NIGERIA