Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was the guest at the recently concluded National Dialogue on Corruption organized by Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) at the Presidential Villa
Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen and Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former permanent representatives at the UN also attended.
It was a day for Prof. Sagay to speak out. He accused the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of being reckless with funds meant for development.
Sagay alleged that the commission recently bought 70 cars, including eight Super Lexus Jeeps at N78 million each and 10 Landcruisers each costing N63 million.
He said the vehicles were acquired with funds meant for the provision of water, housing, hospital, schools and infrastructure development in the Niger Delta region.
“The cars were bought with money from funds meant for infrastructure, water, housing, hospital, schools, without conscience and without a thought for the wretched people of the Niger Delta.
“These huge sums were plundered from their allocations and yet the Managing Director was ironically complaining as reported by the Nation newspaper of Feb. 6, 2017 that the NDDC lacks funds to executive projects.
“The managing director also said that NDDC was in debt up to the tune of N1.2 trillion. What an irony.
“The recklessness with which public officers spend public funds is insensitive to the point of insanity. The level of insensitivity has become pathological.’’
Accordingly, Sagay took a swipe at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) saying nothing had changed since the current administration came on board in May 2015.
Sagay cited an instance with the Tin Can Island in Lagos, where he said customs officials now charge fees to physically examine goods following the breakdown of the scanner.
Describing it as brazen corruption, he said there were many other instances which PACAC brought to the attention of the Comptroller General during a recent visit to him.
Sagay decried public apathy to issues of corruption in the country, noting that the people’s attitude to corruption had become hardened, and that there was no longer any fear of consequence.
“Now, we need to ask ourselves what the problem really is. We are definitely overwhelmed by the epidemic of kleptomania. But do we also have a collective psychiatric problem?
“Why should a person loot what he cannot spend in 10 lifetimes, thereby exposing the rest of the population to misery, hunger, poverty and wretchedness.’’
Sagay also reflected on judicial corruption, saying some judges still grant adjournments running into months in contravention of provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
He accused lawyers of contributing to the problem by using different delay tactics thereby causing the nation great embarrassment.
He said he had suggested to PACAC on the need to recruit a group of young lawyers to monitor court sittings and note issues of adjournments.
According to him, the reports sent by the monitors will be compiled and send to the National Judicial Council for appropriate action.
Sagay faulted the recent public demonstrations against the present administration, saying they were sponsored by those who lost elections and those whose appointments were not renewed. (NAN)
From Left: Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Prof. Itse Sagay; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Claudius Daramola; Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Acting President Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen during National Dialogue on Corruption organized by PACAC, at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Thursday (02/03/17).
