Yesterday, the Federal Government of Nigeria, at its executive meeting, okays a payment of 5% to whistle blowers on corruption and related offences. The move is aimed at encouraging people to expose corrupt officials and sanitize our corrupt bureaucracy. I think Americans have a similar system, if I am to believe with what Sydney Sheldon writes in his thrillers. Some of my friends have already started planning how to get rich out of the scheme. Encouraging as it looks, we need to explore some issues before we start going to the website to submit names of corrupt officials.
It is now as clear as crystal that, the major problem is not identifying corrupt officials but having a workable system that can prosecute them. Thus, even if you report someone, there is every tendency that the person would get out through the legal loopholes created to set rich criminals free. Last year, before the introduction of this 5% thing, my friends and I, out of patriotic sprit, took someone very influential to EFCC and ICPC. I drove my car to their office to submit evidence against the man. I tried to keep in touch, following up to ensure that the case was progressing. At last, I was frustrated. It took us several months to even deliver our petition to the appropriate desk. Each time we send it to Abuja, the man would be there day to block its entry. At last, we had to involve "connection" too. But to this day, the man was not taken to court. In fact, he has now become a traditional ruler; too powerful that nobody would even dare to challenge him in any court in Nigeria. No more of this! Don't ask me questions about him. Next is more important.
As citizens, we shouldn't even wait for payment to inform authorities when we smell a rat. Public funds are meant for public projects, not satisfying personal greed. Thus, if we really care for our future, our image and that of our children,we should feel duty bound to expose corruption as our collective responsibility. Even though the scheme introduced could help to encourage people, it is not as easy as The Cable and Premium Times want you to believe. The regulations say, and I quote:
– Is the whistleblower entitled to a financial reward? It depends.
If there is a voluntary return of stolen or concealed public funds or assets on the account of the information provided, the whistleblower may be entitled to anywhere between 2.5% (Minimum) and 5.0% (Maximum) of the total amount recovered.
You must have provided the Government with information it does not already have and could not otherwise obtain from any other publicly available source to the Government.
(Voluntary?) with FFK telling Obanikoro that they should not return a penny, your chances of getting rich by reporting gets slimmer.
As I always say, if the administration is really determined to tackle corruption, it must start by reforming the judiciary, at least, by setting up a special court of unshakeable judges with unquestionable history, to be prosecuting corrupt officials within the shortest period of time possible. Then, it must make stealing extremely difficult in the first place by not allowing the SGF, with ICT company, to be awarded a contract of cutting grass that is nowhere to be found. By making punishment very harsh and extreme, by sourcing incorruptible people across the country to be appointed ministers and heads of parastatals even if they did not help in winning elections, by making budget padding extremely difficult, by celebrating Abdulmumini Jibril, by etc. Right now, there are only two persons serious about anti corruption in the country; President Buhari and Magu; the latter is almost defeated by corruption which is fighting back, the former might soon be left stranded fighting corruption through corrupt-laden system.
God Bless Nigeria.
Dikko Muhammad.
December, 22nd, 16.
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