Make corruption capital offence — Labour

The anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari got a major boost, yesterday, as organized labour staged a nationwide protest in support of the crusade, calling for death penalty for corrupt persons. The labour activists also threatened to invade any court where the judge grants perpetual injunction to frustrate anti-graft agencies from prosecuting corrupt persons.
The joint rallies by the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and other affiliates of the labour union tagged: “National Rally on Good Governance and Corruption”, were held in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and other major cities across the country. Those who spoke at the Abuja rally included factional president of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, and President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge.
They called for the review of laws guiding the conduct of public officers in the country, stating that the laws of the country as they are currently coded support corruption .
The Abuja rally took officials and members of the NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC and other affiliates of the labour union to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Factional president of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, in his address at the rally said that Congress was set for a showdown with judges who were frustrating anti-corruption agencies from prosecuting corrupt individuals by granting perpetual injunctions.
Wabba stated that the NLC would no longer fold its hands and allow some members of the judiciary to frustrate the fight against corruption, but would instead insist that those who misappropriated public funds be made to return the funds while they are also made to face the full wrath of the law.
His words: “We will invade the courts of any judge that gives perpetual injunction to corrupt people. We can no longer allow them to frustrate the fight against corruption. Our laws are weak and lack the impetus to discourage corrupt practices. The laws make it possible for corrupt people to return only a fraction of what they stole, while they are given slight punishment as fines”.
He blamed the sorry state of affairs in the country at the moment on the loss of good governance, stating that the leadership of the country should be compelled to be responsible to the citizenry.
He further called on all political appointees to toe the line of the presidency by declaring their assets as well as their liabilities, if any, on assumption of office, at the middle of their tenure and at the end of their tenure.
Also speaking, President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, lamented that corruption has helped in no small measure to hinder the growth and development of the country, stating that for the country to move forward, people must be willing to fight and eliminate corruption.
He said, “We want everyone to turn a new leaf. We will henceforth expose corrupt persons. This is not the time to trade blames, but the time to support the institutions fighting corruption, irrespective of party affiliations. We want people to account for their stewardship.”
Speaking in the same vein, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, said that the fight against corruption can be achieved with a number of approaches, ranging from ensuring that workers are paid their dues, while the Federal Government must ensure a review of the remuneration system. He called for a deepening of laws that help in the fight against corruption, and the enactment of a legislation to protect whistle-blowers.
“We cannot fight corruption without adequate punishment. To this end, I will advocate strict punishment, especially capital punishment for corrupt individuals.”
FG lauds labour for joining fight against corruption
Receiving the letter on behalf of the Federal Government, Mr. Babachir Lawal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, commended Nigerian workers for aligning with the present administration’s fight against corruption.
According to him, corruption is at the heart of every failure in Nigeria, and assured workers that their request to the President in terms of the fight against corruption would be given utmost attention.
Also speaking, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Mr. Francis Alimikhena, stated that the present Senate would take the issue of corruption seriously and will not relent until corruption is eliminated.
According to him, one of the numerous signs that the Senate is serious about this issue is the fact that the Senate has resolved that the Private Member’s Bill on corruption would be given accelerated hearing, while other bills bordering on corruption would be given fast-tracked hearing.
On his own part, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, who was represented by Mr. Sani Zorro, representing Jigawa State in the House of Representatives, said the House is ready to strengthen the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act and is hopeful that through its activities, corruption would be eliminated or greatly reduced in the country.
At the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission office, labour gave the chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde a pat on the back for a job well done and warned corrupt elements in the country to stop distracting Lamorde and EFCC from doing their work, describing them as enemies of the people of Nigeria.
According to them, Lamorde was not only competent and committed to the work of eradicating corruption in Nigeria but was also on track to rein in those whose hands had been tainted.

Issa Aremu, Vice President of the NLC in a short speech during the visit, urged Lamorde not to be discouraged by the recent attacks by corrupt elements who are jittery about the Commission’s activities.
“I remember President Muhammadu Buhari saying that, if we don’t fight corruption, it will kill us. We are here today to strengthen the work of EFCC. As a matter of fact, over the years, EFCC has done its best. As we all know, if you fight corruption, it fights back. I know in recent times, corruption seems to be fighting back. I can recollect that in 2003 when the ICPC, under Justice Mustapha Akanbi was doing a very good job to fight corruption, the National Assembly, suddenly, watered down the system.
“The NLC and TUC stood up that time to defend the ICPC. So, I think we should commend both the NLC and TUC for standing up to join in the fight against corruption. We are witnessing almost the same thing now. I don’t know the details, but my brother, Lamorde, has done very well,” he said
Speaking earlier, NLC factional president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the rally was in support of the anti-corruption posture of the Muhammadu Buhari administration and the EFCC.
“We are demanding good governance, accountability and transparency, so that we can have enough to cater for the nation’s development,” he said.
Wabba, who advocated that all hands must be on deck to stamp out corruption from Nigeria, pledged labour’s continued support to the current leadership of EFCC in its fight against corruption.
“We urge you to recover all stolen Nigerian money and property. Our prayer is that the laws must be reviewed to make penalty for offenders to include capital punishment. We need to stand in unison and fight this evil called corruption. We must kill it before it kills us all.”
Comrade Wabba then presented a petition, containing the demands of organized labour, to Lamorde for onward delivery to President Buhari.
In a short remark afterwards, Lamorde, stated that the war against corruption would be fought with relentless vigour. He said: “I want to assure you that we are doing our best and will continue to do what we are doing, particularly as all the trade unions are behind us. I truly agree that the time is ripe for all Nigerians to speak with one voice because corruption has continued to slow down the pace of development in our country. We cannot afford to suffer this anymore. Other countries that gained independence about the time Nigeria did are far ahead of us today.”
He further stated that the only way by which the government could function properly was to block all the loopholes through which corruption is perpetrated.
‘’I can assure you that my colleagues and I will always partner with you in the fight against corruption,’’ he said.
In Lagos, labour leaders stormed the office of the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, protesting high level of corruption in the country and expressing support for the anti-corruption war of President Buhari.
They displayed several placards with inscriptions such as,” Nigerians are not dullards,” Labour backs Buhari’s anti- corruption campaign,” President Buhari stop smuggling,” among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, State TUC Chairman, Mr. Akeem Hakeem, who read the position of the labour while presenting a letter to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, noted that corruption in Nigeria had almost destroyed the country.
Lamenting the effect of corruption in the country, he said “In fact, corruption is mostly pronounced in the Nigerian political system and public sector. The belief is that once a person occupies any position, be it the smallest, they will use corrupt practices to enrich themselves”.
Receiving the letter on behalf of the governor, Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, lauded labour leaders for their efforts to eradicate corruption and other vices in the country.
Similarly, in Edo State, labour leaders at a rally held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin called on Nigerians to join the anti-corruption train to move Nigeria forward.
Led by Emmanuel Adedokun, the labour leaders said, “It is our conviction that the elimination of corruption will functionally be the beginning of our national prosperity.
“As an organization whose objective is to promote positive change in Nigeria, we are happy to be associated with the current national posture of the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari on the frontal attack against corruption.”

Responding, Governor Oshiomhole challenged Nigerian workers to insist on a review of corrupt government policies by past administrations, saying past misdeeds should not be swept under the carpet.
The governor who said the country was gradually returning to the right track under President Muhammadu Buhari said “until recently, I am sure it would have been so hazardous in the face of what appears to be a direct state policy that not to be corrupt is to be endangered and the way to be safe was to ensure that you participate in corrupt practices and everybody kept quiet. We got to the point that those who raised their voice against corrupt practices were all unceremoniously removed from office and in some quarters people clapped.
In Asaba, Delta State, the protesters called on politicians in the state to be above board and avoid corrupt tendencies.
Led by factional chairman of state NLC, and state Chairman of TUC, they said the anti corruption protest was not against Governor Ifeanyi Okowa but a protest against corruption in the country, stressing the need for all hands to be on deck in the fight against corruption and corrupt practices.
Addressing the protesters, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said the war against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari, was a welcome development and expressed optimism that the President would lead by example.
Noting that the political class alone could not perpetrate corruption without the cooperation of the civil servants, Okowa said the civil service should also purge itself of corrupt officers.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, organised labour used the protest to allay the fears of thousands of workers in the state over a rumour that Governor Abiola Ajimobi had finalized plans to sack some of them.
While assuring the workers, factional chairman of NLC, Mr. Waheed Olojede, insisted that pruning the workforce was not in the agenda of the governor.
“Unfair treatment of Nigerian workers and unrealistic minimum wage have led many workers to live in penury and suffer untold hardships, as a result of corruption. There is a need for self examination to know the place we are not doing well. We must join the train to fight corruption. I want to appeal to you all that the campaign against corruption must be sustained by all and sundry. “
Governor Ajimobi who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Moses Adeyemo, called for combined efforts to rid the country of corruption.
In Ilorin, Kwara State, scores of labour leaders in Kwara State, went round the major streets of Ilorin, armed with placards denouncing the level of corruption in the country.
Led by factional chairman of NLC and state TUC chairman, Yekeen Agunbiade and Kola Olumoh, respectively, they said corruption had created bad image for the country and its citizens, pointing out that it had also led to factory closures, retrenchments and worsened unemployment situation in Nigeria.
Speaking in the same vein, state chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Kola Olumoh stressed the need for Nigerians to support President Buhari’s efforts in eliminating corruption in the country.
The rally which started at the Labour House, beside the State High Court, Ilorin took members of the organised labour union through Ahmadu Bello Way to Government House to submit a letter in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Anti-Corruption crusade.
Receiving the letter, Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, commended labour leaders for ensuring industrial harmony in the state despite recent challenges.
Governor Ahmed, represented by the Head of Service, Hajiya Zahra Omar, promised that the state government would continue to address issues affecting workers in the state and commended the labour for rallying support for the President’s anti-corruption crusade.
She assured Labour that the letter would be forwarded appropriately to the presidency.
In Akure, Ondo State, labour leaders called on Nigerians to support the anti-corruption war, saying any Nigerian or group against the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari should be regarded as the country’s enemy of progress and development.
They said that corruption had led to the inability of many state governors to pay their workers salaries and marched through strategic locations in the state such as First Bank junction, NEPA area, State House of Assembly Complex and the Governor’s Office.
Addressing the workers, factional vice-chairman of NLC, Amusa Bakare, said corrupt practices among political office holders had led to unpaid salaries and collapse of the nation’s economy.
A letter on anti-corruption was delivered to Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Jumoke Akindele.
Mimiko was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Kola Ademujimi, while the Majority leader lfedayo Akinsoyinu received the letter on behalf of the speaker.
In Osun State, labour leaders called on politicians, especially public office holders in the state to declare war against corrupt practices.

Factional chairman of NLC, Jacob Adekomi, who led workers on the rally in a letter addressed to the Governor entitled: “National Day of Action Against Corruption and For Good Governance, “We are convinced that this action has become necessary to bring to the fore the urgent need for a national discourse to drastically reduce the cost of governance at all levels (Federal, State and Local Government) against the background of the fall in the price of crude oil, our main source of foreign revenue.
“There is also an urgent need to review and strengthen our anti-corruption legislation. This will remove such loopholes where punishment for crime of conspiracy, breach of trust and embezzlement of N32.8bn police fund was a mere two-year sentence.”
Also in Umuahia, Abia State, labour leaders, who marched from NLC ‘s Secretariat on Aba Road, to the State House of Assembly where NLC factional chairman, Uchenna Obigwe read and handed labour’s letter to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Martins Azubuike, said the protest was to support President Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
The workers displayed placards with inscriptions as “Abia NLC says no to corruption, corruption leads to brain drain, embezzle the nation’s fund and go to jail, all looters of our resources should be brought to book, be a proud Nigerian, shun corruption, corruption is worse than Ebola”, among others.
Addressing the workers, the speaker described them as the engine room of the economy and urged them to join hands with the State Government to rid the State of corruption..
At the Government House, the workers were received by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Ude OkoChukwu, who commended them for the orderly manner they carried the exercise.
He said Labour and the government were on the same page in the fight against corruption as the administration was committed to the eradication of corruption.
Okochukwu particularly praised labour for the exercise saying “coming from you, it is now a case of bottom-top approach”, which he hope would urgur well for the fight against corruption.
Similarly, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, labour leaders, called on the federal government to come up with a law to deal with those who plunder state resources, saying federal government should set up special court to recover diverted public funds.
Chairman of TUC, Mr Chika Onuegbu, in a statement called on the Professor Itse Sagay-led committee on corruption to come with recommendations to strengthen federal governments resolve to fight corruption to a standstill in the country,
In Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, labour leaders who marched through some major streets to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly complex, Bayelsa State Government House, said the protest became imperative because of the negative effects corruption on Nigeria and her citizens.
Led by the factional chairman of NLC and state Chairman of TUC, Ndiomu Bipre and Tari Dounana, respectively, argued that corruption was most pronounced among the politicians, lamenting that corruption had created a bad image for the country and her citizens.
The NLC said, “Non-payment of worker’s salaries has been attributed to corrupt practices of state governors, who have gone into heavy borrowing from the banks to carry out huge projects that they clearly have no capacity for, and use them as conduit pipes to siphon public funds into their personal pockets. Some use the money meant for the state to campaign for re-elections.
In Anambra State, labour leaders said they decided to join hands with Buhari on the anti-corruption crusade because corruption had eaten deep into the fabrics of all sectors of the economy, saying “It is because of corruption that most governors have not paid the minimum wage. It is because of corruption that our hospitals are ill equipped and the civil servants cannot afford the cost of medication in this country. It is because of corruption that there unemployment hence the country cannot progress.”

The protesters demanded among others, the establishment of special anti- corruption courts to try corrupt cases in the country and to ensure that all stolen funds from the national treasury were recovered.
Responding to labour’s demand, Governor Willie Obiano who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Professor Solo Chukwulobelum, urged the labour leaders to look inwards to help government check against workers and other forms of corruption.
At a similar rally held in Kano, the Head of Northwest Zonal Operation of the EFCC, Ishaq Salihu, urged organized labour to partner with the EFCC to carry out its mandate by acting as whistle blowers in any area where they find acts of corruption being perpetrated.

source: vangaurd