Labour’s anti-graft protest

Against the backdrop of futile anti-corruption efforts by successive administrations since independence, the organised labour and the civil society groups staged a peaceful protest in Abuja last week to urge the Yar’Adua administration to probe alleged cases of corruption by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

The mass protest was led by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar; the President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Peter Usele; and the former President of the NLC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

Precedent to the protest march, the organised labour had written to President Yar’Adua, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, asking for the trial of Obasanjo. The protesters commended Yar’Adua’s reversal of the anti-people policy of his predecessor and called for the “establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which can comprehensively enquire into the corrupt practices, recover mismanaged and embezzled funds, bring culprits to book and generally restore the confidence of Nigerians in government and in governance.”

The Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier instituted the Federal Capital Territory and the power sector probes to investigate graft and financial mismanagement in these government departments during the Obasanjo administration.

Probe of predecessors by the government in power has become a mere ritual in the country. Nearly every government since independence has probed and indicted its predecessor for graft. The Obasanjo administration, for instance, set up many panels of inquiry, including the Justice Obiora Nwazota panel put together to probe cases of fraud in the Aviation sector and the Christopher Kolade special panel set up to investigate all the promotions made and contracts awarded by the preceding administration of Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar. But those indicted were neither prosecuted nor punished.

The decision by the organised labour to stage anti-corruption march, like its role during the dark days of military rule, is a welcome development. It is a strong complement to the ongoing probes by the National Assembly. Besides, it is in fulfillment of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution which vests supreme power in the people.

This novel action by the organised labour is a challenge to Nigerians to take their national destiny in their own hands. They, together with all non-governmental organisations, owe it a duty to come together for the struggle to enthrone probity and accountability at all tiers of government.

The National Assembly however, needs to complement their ongoing probes with the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill. The non-prescription of the procedure for accessing the assets declaration forms of public office holders since 1999, for instance, is one of the reasons why corruption festers in our society.

In addition, the National Assembly should be more alive to its oversight functions on government ministries and departments. The Auditor-General of the Federation should audit the accounts of the various ministries and ensure that competent auditors are appointed to look into the books of all agencies and departments on an annual basis, as constitutionally required.

The various civil society groups and the opposition parties should wake up from their slumber and hold the government in power accountable to the people. There must be a concerted effort to expose all corrupt officials who undermine development by funnelling funds meant for public projects into private accounts. Since graft festers in an atmosphere of secrecy, the organised labour should go beyond mere protests. It must support all efforts to open public records to public scrutiny. Nigerians must not relent until all those indicted by the ongoing probes are brought to justice.