[By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja]
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday directed the newly inaugurated
Board of the Police Service Commission to cleanse the Nigerian Police of
bad eggs who he described as “viruses” denting its image. He chided the
police, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), other para-military service
as well as the military for indulging in promotions not based on merit,
competence, performance and qualifications of officers. The president
also explained that this constitutes the reason there are “viruses and
all kinds of characters in the police force,” leading to abysmal
performance of some of them. Also yesterday, indications emerged that
the Federal Government is considering the scraping of about 220
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) out of the current 541 Federal parastatals in a bid
to enhance efficiency and reduce cost of administration. Going by the
provisions of the Draft Bill on national fertilizer quality control,
adulterators of fertilizer products risk seven years jail term apart
from other punishments. These were disclosed yesterday at a briefing
after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President
Jonathan with Vice President Namadi Sambo in attendance at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Special Adviser to the President on Media
and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in company of the ministers of
agriculture, water resources and mines, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Mrs Sara
Ochekpe and Arch. Muhammad Sada, respectively briefed State House
correspondents.
The president gave the charge to the police while inaugurating the
Board of the Nigeria Police Service Commission headed by a former
Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, as Chairman at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja, prior to the commencement of the Federal Executive
Council meeting. Other members of the Board of the Police Service
Commission include: Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, Justice Lola Adekeye, Hajiya
Aisha Lare Tukur, Dame Comfort Obi and Dr. Tongi Anyi. According to
President Jonathan, “One thing, and probably I will mention here today
is the issue of Nigeria Police. You will agree with me that Nigerians
don’t have so much confidence in the Nigeria Police, but Nigerian
policemen are good. The Nigeria Police that work outside under United
Nations are highly honoured, highly commended and Okiro will agree with
me.
“But once we come back home that is not reflected in what we do. Even
now that we have challenges, you will see that, especially when the
Police Headquarters was bombed, some people came to me and said Mr.
President, ‘sack all police officers working in that place from
Assistant Commissioner of Police and above.’ “I did not sack any because
of that incident, but that was the advice I got. That if you do that,
the new people that would be posted there will sit up. How could the
police allow their headquarters to be bombed by a very local group
called Boko Haram?” Jonathan charged the Okiro to further instill
discipline within the police and ensure that those who deserve
promotion should be promoted, while those found wanting should be
dismissed. He said, “But I believe there are two things: one is the
issue of discipline. And so, one of the responsibilities of the Police
Service Commission is to instill discipline. Another thing I believe is
that people who do not merit certain ranks are being promoted to those
ranks.
“One of your responsibilities is to handle promotion. I believe with
you, only those who merit or deserve promotion should be promoted. Those
who deserve to be disciplined or even dismissed must be disciplined.”
Furthermore, the president indicated that a white paper on the reform of
the Nigeria Police will soon be released, but enjoined the PSC to make
input into it so that it will be comprehensive enough to improve the
operations of the Force. “The Federal Executive Council, maybe in the
next one or two weeks, we are going to look at the report because we
want to come up with a white paper on the police reform report. But
since we have just appointed you, we give you privilege to look at the
document before we come out with a white paper. “So that if there is a
suggestion that you will bring, bring it so that it will be part of the
white paper since you are the one to manage the police. It is only
proper that you and I will think alike and be on the same page, because
we need to reform the Nigeria Police for a better service for us all,”
he said.
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, who
fielded questions from State House correspondents shortly after the
swearing-in, said his priority would ,among other things, center on
boosting the morale of the policemen. He said, “We will look at the
extant laws and see the areas that the Police Service Commission is
supposed to act to reform the Nigeria Police and it is an issue that
requires the handiwork and cooperation of everybody; the press, you
people, Nigerians and the police officers themselves have to open up
their minds for reform.” He explained that there are reasons why police
officers perform better outside the country than while in Nigeria,
citing enabling environment and equipment.
“The reasons are far reaching. One, you can find out that the
environment is different, the people are different and also, the
equipment and what to work with. The Nigerian police officers, while
rendering service outside this country under the United Nations, give
them the wherewithal to do the work.
“It is not an indictment on the system, neither is it on the
Presidency or me. What we are talking about is that time changes,
society is dynamic. What happened few years ago is not what is happening
now. You know at that time there was no Boko Haram, but there is right
now. “So, you have to work as the situation demands at the moment. So,
what I am going to do now is to look at what is making the police not to
perform optimally this time, at this period of our nation’s history. I
will try and address those issues. “Officers from ACP up are not
feeling very happy. Many of them have no houses, the morale of the
police is quite low, they need to be motivated; you have to look into
what will make them perform optimally.
“If you give somebody something to work with, he works well for you.
If you pay somebody very well, he works very well for you. If you give
somebody pittance, you get pittance service from him. So, we have to
look at the welfare of the police first and foremost,” Okiro said.
However, the scrapping of the 220 MDAs is based on consideration of the
White Paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on the
Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals,
Commissions and Agencies, otherwise known as the Oronsaye Committee.
Abati explained that the White Paper is already at the domain of the
Federal Executive Council for consideration, revealing that out of the
existing 541 parastatals, the White Paper Drafting Committee accepted
321. He, however, allayed fears that the scraping of the MDAs will
result in laying off many workers and generate hardships in the country.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, “Council began a review of the report of the Presidential
Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalisation of Government
Parastatals, Commissions and agencies what is popularly referred to as
the Oronsaye committee. “The draft White Paper had already been prepared
based on the report of that committee and what council took today was
the draft white paper for discussion and review. “It is ongoing, that
process will continue during the next meeting. I know that many people
have expressed concerns on when the white paper will be released. This
makes it very clear that works have been ongoing on the report of that
committee.
“After the draft of that white paper was submitted, a review
committee was set up by Mr. President, which also considered the report
and now it is being considered at the level of the FEC and you can be
sure that in due course, the white paper with regards to the
restructuring and rationalisation of government’s parastatals, agencies
and commissions will be released.
“There is no cause for any anxiety. The Oronsaye Committee considered
suggestions, recommendations from different quarters and in total, that
committee looked at 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies.
The white paper drafting committee out of that, accepted 321, noted some
recommendations, rejected some. “At the end of the day, the FEC will
take final decision on this recommendation and when that is done, the
white paper will be made public. I don’t think we should jump the gun,
the thing to note is that all of this is being done to ensure
efficiency, to reduce the cost of government, to avoid leakages and
wastages and to make government far more effective in delivering quality
service to Nigerians.
“This is not targeted at pushing anybody out of work. This is not an exercise in making life difficult for anybody.
This is just government restructuring for better efficiency. People
should not be unduly anxious. “You can be assured that now that it is at
the level of the FEC, work will be completed on it very quickly, the
white paper will be released and it will be implemented accordingly.” On
the National Fertilizer Control Draft Bill, the Minister of
Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, explained that the Bill is targeted
at making Nigeria the major hub of fertilizer in African region.
According to him, “The draft bill is looking at the issue of quality
control in the fertilizer sector. As you know that since we started the
libralisation of the fertiliser sector, there’s been quite a lot of
private sector engagement. We have noticed overtime that we had
challenges in terms adulteration of fertilizer in the system.”
http://www.mydailynewswatchng.com/2013/06/13/purge-police-of-corruption-jonathan-charges-commission/
Monday 17 June 2013
Wednesday 12 June 2013
EFCC alone cannot fight, win war against corruption – Lamorde
The EFCC chairman said collaboration with the Custom Service will help in its fight against corruption.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,Ibrahim Lamorde, has called for the establishment of an Integrity Unit in the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, saying such an innovation will be a rallying point for the promotion of transparency and accountability towards achieving its mandate to the nation.
Mr. Lamorde made the call on Tuesday during a one-day anti-corruption sensitization road walk organised by the Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit of the EFCC for heads and members of staff of both organizations.
He explained that the road walk was designed to take the anti-graft campaign to the workplace, and encourage workers to buy–in as the EFCC alone cannot fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria.
The EFCC chairman acknowledged the assistance received from the Custom Service in terms of secondment of the service’s finest staffs to the EFCC, especially early in the life of the commission.
“Those officers, I make bold to say, contributed in no small way to whatever modest success that are ascribed to the EFCC, today’’.
The EFCC boss underscored the importance of the workshop when he said that the program is in fulfillment of the mandate of the Commission, as stated in Section 6 of the EFCC Act, which requires the Commission to, in addition to its enforcement responsibilities, take measures to prevent the commission of economic crimes through aggressive public enlightenment and education.
Mr. Lamorde commended the Controller General of the Service, Dikko Abdullahi, for accepting to partner with EFCC to fight corruption which he described as a monster.
He added that on the account of the collaboration between the two agencies, many economic saboteurs and other sundry criminals have been stopped from wrecking underserved havoc on the nation’s economy.
In his response, Mr. Abdullahi commended the EFCC boss for the worthy partnership to cooperate and spread the message that together we are forging a united stand against corruption.
“In the past, customs and EFCC collaboration have been a reference point for best practices. Both have worked closely in special joint operations, investigations and training; and we are glad to say that the relationship has extended to frontiers of our collaboration to fight corruption,” Mr. Abdullahi said.
“In synergy, we are sending strong signals to all economic saboteurs that they now face a more difficult task to evade payment of customs duty or smuggling of prohibited goods through our borders,” the custom boss added.
Mr. Abdullahi said that in embarking on the anti-corruption journey, the Custom Service has prepared its officers for zero tolerance on corruption. He called on stakeholders and the generality of Nigerians to support the campaign to instill integrity into Customs operation.
The program, he said will feature workshops on financial and economic crimes at the Customs headquarters, Lagos, Kaduna and Port Harcourt Zonal commands of the Service.
The campaign by the EFCC had earlier been extended to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC Ministry of Transport, ACTU, among others.
Source: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/138514-efcc-alone-cannot-fight-win-war-against-corruption-lamorde.html
EFCC alone cannot fight, win war against corruption – Lamorde
The EFCC chairman said collaboration with the Custom Service will help in its fight against corruption.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,Ibrahim Lamorde, has called for the establishment of an Integrity Unit in the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, saying such an innovation will be a rallying point for the promotion of transparency and accountability towards achieving its mandate to the nation.
Mr. Lamorde made the call on Tuesday during a one-day anti-corruption sensitization road walk organised by the Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit of the EFCC for heads and members of staff of both organizations.
He explained that the road walk was designed to take the anti-graft campaign to the workplace, and encourage workers to buy–in as the EFCC alone cannot fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria.
The EFCC chairman acknowledged the assistance received from the Custom Service in terms of secondment of the service’s finest staffs to the EFCC, especially early in the life of the commission.
“Those officers, I make bold to say, contributed in no small way to whatever modest success that are ascribed to the EFCC, today’’.
The EFCC boss underscored the importance of the workshop when he said that the program is in fulfillment of the mandate of the Commission, as stated in Section 6 of the EFCC Act, which requires the Commission to, in addition to its enforcement responsibilities, take measures to prevent the commission of economic crimes through aggressive public enlightenment and education.
Mr. Lamorde commended the Controller General of the Service, Dikko Abdullahi, for accepting to partner with EFCC to fight corruption which he described as a monster.
He added that on the account of the collaboration between the two agencies, many economic saboteurs and other sundry criminals have been stopped from wrecking underserved havoc on the nation’s economy.
In his response, Mr. Abdullahi commended the EFCC boss for the worthy partnership to cooperate and spread the message that together we are forging a united stand against corruption.
“In the past, customs and EFCC collaboration have been a reference point for best practices. Both have worked closely in special joint operations, investigations and training; and we are glad to say that the relationship has extended to frontiers of our collaboration to fight corruption,” Mr. Abdullahi said.
“In synergy, we are sending strong signals to all economic saboteurs that they now face a more difficult task to evade payment of customs duty or smuggling of prohibited goods through our borders,” the custom boss added.
Mr. Abdullahi said that in embarking on the anti-corruption journey, the Custom Service has prepared its officers for zero tolerance on corruption. He called on stakeholders and the generality of Nigerians to support the campaign to instill integrity into Customs operation.
The program, he said will feature workshops on financial and economic crimes at the Customs headquarters, Lagos, Kaduna and Port Harcourt Zonal commands of the Service.
The campaign by the EFCC had earlier been extended to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC Ministry of Transport, ACTU, among others.
Source: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/138514-efcc-alone-cannot-fight-win-war-against-corruption-lamorde.html
Prisons Service debunks N50,000 bribery allegation
THE Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has debunked a claim by a robbery suspect, Mr Samodu Dawopale, that prison officers at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons, Lagos, demanded N50,000 to secure his release, after the order of an Appeal Court quashing his death sentence.
The 48-year-old suspect, who regained freedom after 14 years of incarceration, had alleged that prisons officers “wanted me to part with N50,000 to secure my release.”
But the Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Ope Fatinikun, said the allegation was frivolous and unfounded.
“Where will an inmate condemned to death for about 14 years ago have N50,000 in the first place for him to make such allegation? That is frivolous and unfounded,” he said.
The death sentence was earlier passed on him by an Ijebu-Ode High Court 10 years ago, but was quashed by an Appeal Court in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, in May this year.
Fatinikun explained that what delayed his release was the effort to confirm the authenticity of the court’s order served the prisons by his lawyer.
According to him, the Appeal Court’s order for his release was served the prisons service on May 31, which was Friday, but prisons officers had to travel to Ibadan for confirmation of the papers on Monday, which was two days after because of the weekend.
He said unfortunately, they could not get the confirmation until June 6, adding that by then, Dawopale had called his lawyer, who told him that he had brought his release warrant since May 31.
According to him, Dawopale, in the process, became impatient and started causing commotion, even when prisons officers explained to him that they were awaiting confirmation before honouring the order of the court.
“There was every need for us to exercise fears, because somebody was condemned to death and anybody can frame up anything just to secure his release. When the papers were confirmed by the Appeal Court in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, he was released accordingly,” he said.
Tuesday 4 June 2013
SERAP Seeks Review of UN Convention on Corruption
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged nations, which are parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption to “take steps to review the convention in a manner that will ensure that victims of corruption receive appropriate remedies and compensation for the devastating effects it causes disadvantaged groups.”
In a presentation by SERAP Executive Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, to a delegates, convention on corruption in Vienna, Austria recently, the organisation said: “Both articles 34 and 35 of the convention, which require states to address the consequences of corruption and pay compensation to victims seem to give considerable latitude to countries in determining the parameters of their application by subjecting these to the fundamental principles of the state’s domestic law.”
“The problem is that there are huge gaps in the laws of many states, including my own country Nigeria, that has failed to effectively implement these provisions despite the fact that Nigeria has ratified the convention,” the organisation stated to the gathering of the states’ delegates known as the International Review Group.
The Implementation Review Group held its fourth session in Vienna from 27 to 31 May 2013 The group was established by the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in its resolution 3/1, entitled “Review mechanism”, as an open-ended intergovernmental group of States parties to operate under its authority and report to it. The Group’s mandate is to ensure effective implementation of the convention
According to the organisation, “articles 34 and 35 provisions are far reaching, and will undoubtedly enhance deterrence by creating additional weapons: civil and administrative sanctions but their potential will not be realised unless states exercise the required political will to make necessary changes in their laws.
“Articles 34 and 35 provisions are written exactly for regions like Africa (including my country Nigeria) where large scale corruption has had huge consequences in terms of undermining the well-being of the citizens and denying them the chance for personal development and prosperity. These victims of corruption hardly receive any compensation.”
The group added that: “The two articles signal a resolve on the part of negotiators of the UNCAC to unleash the power of private civil litigation and collateral legal and administrative sanctions on persons that commit corrupt practices. Moreover, recalling the difficulties associated with the investigation and prosecution of offences, the evidence obtained from civil trials could be used in on-going investigations or in future criminal trials.”
Based on this, SERAP urged the representatives of states parties to: “Develop guidelines to encourage a consistent and universal enforcement of articles 34 and 35 provisions on the domestic front in a manner that will favour victims of corruption. Suggested elements of any such guidelines may include reaffirmation of commitment by states parties to the provisions of articles 34 and 35 in particular and the UNCAC in general; specific commitment to review and harmonise national laws to implement articles 34 and 35 provisions in a way that will allow victims of corruption to seek remedies before national institutions and courts, as well as commitment to involve civil society groups in the review and harmonisation of any such laws; ensure that their governments enact national laws on civil remedies against corruption.
This will be fulfilling the requirements of Articles 34 and 35. States should also consistently encourage victims of corruption to use the human rights framework to file cases for compensation not only against multinational corporations but also against corrupt public officials; establish a complaint mechanism for victims of corruption within the context of the UN Convention against corruption to allow victims to file complaints before this body. This is clearly feasible and practicable if there is necessary political will to make it happen; establish a global trust fund for victims of corruption. This is already happening for victims of international crimes recognised under the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court. There is no reason why the same cannot be done in serious cases of corruption. Trust funds for victims of corruption would help to address the developmental needs of the victims of corruption.”
Corruption may destroy Nigeria, says Agunloye
FORMER Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Olu Agunloye, has called on the leadership of the country to urgently address the issue of corruption by ensuring that those found culpable are duly made to face the law.
Noting that if there is any factor that may quickly lead to the disintegration of the country on or before 2015 as predicted 14 years ago by America, he said the lackadaisical attitude through which government handles the magnitude of corruption in the country is major.
Speaking with The Guardian Monday on the topic: “Why the polity is currently tensed up ahead of 2015 elections”, Agunloye said: “Corruption is growing at a dangerous trend to the extent that Nigerians have totally lost confidence in governance; the youth have lost confidence in the elders and their leaders. There is political, economic and moral corruption; it is breathing and pushing the country to a brink.”
The former Minister of Power and Steel, who also served as Minister of State for Defence, said corruption has bred injustice, inequality and nepotism in the country “a situation where Nigeria is rated among the countries in the world with the largest number of poor people and also the largest number of billionaires, is unjust and unfair. A situation where past public officers, particularly governors, are called to account for billions and trillions of naira and at the end, nothing comes out, is making governance to lose value.”
He also said the perceived second-term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan is another factor tensing up the polity. According to him, “The quest to control power at the centre has not only been ethnicised but is currently being pursued at selfish ends. There is no doubt that the perceived second term ambition of President Jonathan is part of the reasons the polity is now under serious tension as we witnessed before the 2011 general elections when the ruling Peoples Democratic (PDP nearly polarised the country based on their internal zoning arrangement.
“I believe Jonathan ought not to have contested for power in 2011 as I said suggested then. He had the best opportunity then to conduct a free and fair election, no matter whose ox was gored if he had not participated,” he noted, adding that a situation where elections are perceived not to be free and fair would also generate crises, injustice and other serious vices.
It is unfortunate now that the situation has even gone beyond Jonathan’s ambition; ethnic sentiment and personal interest are now the determining factors for whom to rule the country instead of collective interest, he added.
While blaming Nigerians for getting what they deserved by accepting undue inducement from politicians during elections, Agunloye said it is unfortunate that politicians and the few who have cornered the wealth of the country usually take advantage of poverty in the land.
NIMN boss urges Nigerians to be patriotic in fight against corruption
President of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Dr Lugard Aimiuwu, on Wednesday urged Nigerians to be patriotic in the fight against corruption.
Aimiuwu, who made the call in an interview in Lagos, said that Nigeria had cause to celebrate Democracy Day in spite of the level of corruption.
He described corruption as an ‘old demon’ that had ravaged the nation for a long period and had deprived ordinary citizens of dividends of democracy.
Aimiuwu said that apart from corruption and abuse of office, some other deviant behaviour like extremism had crept in.
He said that the game plan of the extremists was to scatter the country in order to create a situation for disintegration.
The expert said that in spite of these challenges, Nigeria was still strong as a united entity.
“The right noises are being made when you talk about democracy and there is cause for celebration.
“This is because the will of the nation has been tested and tested over and over again in a number of areas.
“Somehow or the other, the worst has not happened; there has not been any disintegration.”
Aimiuwu said that no Nigerian leader had come out to declare hostilities, which he said, showed that Nigeria was still a single entity.
He said that Nigeria was now ready to put a price on corruption which was a good development.
“Once a nation could do that, it shows that the nation is already finding a solution to it.
“An example of that is that it is always an issue in public discussion and people have never stopped to talk about it.
“Morally, we are in a right direction for democratic dispensation,” he said.
Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/nimn-boss-urges-nigerians-be-patriotic-fight-against-corruption
Aimiuwu, who made the call in an interview in Lagos, said that Nigeria had cause to celebrate Democracy Day in spite of the level of corruption.
He described corruption as an ‘old demon’ that had ravaged the nation for a long period and had deprived ordinary citizens of dividends of democracy.
Aimiuwu said that apart from corruption and abuse of office, some other deviant behaviour like extremism had crept in.
He said that the game plan of the extremists was to scatter the country in order to create a situation for disintegration.
The expert said that in spite of these challenges, Nigeria was still strong as a united entity.
“The right noises are being made when you talk about democracy and there is cause for celebration.
“This is because the will of the nation has been tested and tested over and over again in a number of areas.
“Somehow or the other, the worst has not happened; there has not been any disintegration.”
Aimiuwu said that no Nigerian leader had come out to declare hostilities, which he said, showed that Nigeria was still a single entity.
He said that Nigeria was now ready to put a price on corruption which was a good development.
“Once a nation could do that, it shows that the nation is already finding a solution to it.
“An example of that is that it is always an issue in public discussion and people have never stopped to talk about it.
“Morally, we are in a right direction for democratic dispensation,” he said.
Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/nimn-boss-urges-nigerians-be-patriotic-fight-against-corruption
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