MOVE BY THE NIGERIAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO LEGALIZE PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS OPERATION OF FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS......, A REFLECTION OF THEIR DETERMINATION TO LEGALIZE LOOT OF PUBLIC FUNDS. A bill before the house of representatives seeking to allow public officers to operate foreign accounts passed second reading on Wed. 20th Nov; 2013. However, reactions have trailed this intention by the house, with most people questioning the importance of such bill. Knowing that they will always remain or stay for a long time in the political fray, a good number of Nigerians feel the attempts so far by the house is motivated by selfish desires. Its also good to note that a law in section 7 of the act prohibited public officers in Nigeria from operating foreign accounts. Like the house members rightly pointed out as their reason for trying to make the new obnoxious law, that law restricting public office holders from operating foreign accounts were not practiced. But they are in the right position to ensure the enforcement & implementation of such law. What one would expect should have bothered them most is how to enforce the already existing law rather than make another allowing for operation of foreign accounts. For all I know, signing the bill into law is irrelivant & not a step in the right direction towards fighting embezzlement & loot of public funds. The major problem in Nigerian polity is failure of politicians & leaders to accept the right priorities of leadership and service. The masses are more concerned about the present socio-political and economic predicaments of the country where our great nation has witnessed an unprecedented challenges. Talk about the education sector in crisis, insurgency in the north, erratic power supply, infrastructural dacay, poor welfare of the people, to mention but a few. The topic here goes to expose further the political culture practiced in Nigeria and one not ready to listen to the yearnings of the people, and where impunity for the said public office holders has become the norm. The political culture in Nigeria is nothing good to write home about when compared to that of other countries of the world. Ghanian president Mahama sacked the deputy minister of communications Victoria Hammah for allegedly making a statement saying she would not leave politics until she made $1m. Her statement was contained in a leaked tape conversation. The truth here though is that its possible for the deputy minister to amass the sum from her salaries; but for that countrys quest for a corruption free society, she got fired in less than 24 hours for suspicion of corruption. Such a change of political culture in Ghana is hardly feasible in Nigeria. Interestingly, that incident in Ghana almost coincided with Nigerian aviation ministers two armourd vehicle scandal but the Nigerian official is still part of president Goodluck Jonathans cabinet. Finally my compatriots, let us stop being naive over the system and political culture in Nigeria. Our destiny lies in our hands to vote out corrupt politicians and honorable members of the house of representatives come 2015 and beyond because democracy gives us the power to do so.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:42:07 +0000
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