Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said the latest
corruption perception index released by Transparency International
should not in any way be seen as a setback for the country.
According to him, it is an opportunity to continue building on
the many successes that have already been recorded by the Muhammadu
Buhari led administration in all the key sectors.
He spoke on the theme: “The imperative of cooperation of arms of
government in a democratic dispensation”, at the Dialogue of Organs
of Government on Reform of Justice Sector and Campaign Against
corruption, jointly organized by the Presidential Advisory
Committee Against Corruption and Federal Ministry of Justice.
Osinbajo, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief
of Staff, Ade Ipaye, insisted the administration is recording
progress in the fight against corruption, noting that perception
may indeed lag behind reality.
He said: “This dialogue couldn’t have come at a better time
because only recently, Transparency International released a report
suggesting that Nigerian declined in the perception index for
reasons which I will discuss shortly.
“We are firmly of the view that real progress is being achieved
in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, and perception may
indeed lag behind reality. But as the saying goes, perception is
sometimes stronger than reality, so we have to keep up the good
fight, until the full effect of our efforts can be clearly seen and
perceived.
“In that regard, the ranking of Nigeria by the 2017 Transparency
International Corruption Perception Index, released on February
21st, 2018, should not in any way be seen as a setback but rather
as an opportunity to continue building on the many successes that
have already been recorded by this government in all the key
sectors.
“It is also important to note that the main reason for Nigeria’s
decline in the Transparency International 2017 Corruption
Perception Index, is that Nigeria recorded a major drop in score on
just one out of the nine international recognized indexes used by
Transparency International, to ascertain perceived levels of public
sector corruption from the perspective of experts and business
people.
“So the drop recorded was in just one out of the nine recognized
indexes. The index in question scored Nigeria low on the economy
intelligence unit country’s risk service with the decline from 37
points to 20. This is an index that analysis the risks of financial
exposure in countries.
“The question to be asked then is what changed so dramatically
between 2016 and 2017? As we speak, the budget for 2018 is under
public scrutiny at the National Assembly, the allocation and use of
public funds is guided by the budget and represents one of the key
areas of consultations and interaction between the two arms of
government that is the executive and legislature.
“The endless number of probes and the use of public funds going
on both within the executive and the legislative arms, underscores
the transparency of this government and its intention to ensure
that funds are used for public purposes.
“What sets Buhari’s leadership apart from others, is the prudent
and transparent management of national resources. Thus, despite up
to 60 percent drop in revenue, we have by stopping grand
corruption, make highest capital spend in the history of Nigeria,
in the sum of N1.3 trillion in 2017.
“We have for the first time taken on the game changing
infrastructure projects. So we are today building the Lagos-Kano
standard gauge rail line beginning with the Lagos Ibadan segment.
We are also building after 40 years, the Mambila Hydro Project,
construction of the second Niger Bridge is ongoing daily, we have
signed up for the Lagos-Calabar rail project, we are daily
increasing power supply and once we conclude some strategic
transmission project, we will see a truly significant and
appreciable improvement in domestic and industrial power supply in
Nigeria.
“Also this government has given more to support the state
governments than any other government since 1999. As of
September2017, total support from excess crude account loan and
budget support facility, excluding now the Paris Club refund, is in
the order of N873.3 billion. If we add the Paris club refund, we
would have disbursed N1.91 trillion to the states outside of their
monthly allocations.
“This government should be applauded for exercising restraint
and discipline in its appointment of public servants. The number of
appointed public servants pales in comparison to the number of
civil servants. The process of appointing public servants is also
guided strictly by legislature.
“This, the assessment of Transparency International inquiry into
whether or not there is a professional civil service and whether
large number of officials are directly appointed by government
should have taken this into consideration.” he said.
Osinbajo also said that the three arms of government will have
to cooperate to be able to maintain a workable institution.
He said, “And when this cooperation happens, it strengthens the
democratic process, promote good governance and responsible
leadership, promotes transparency and accountability in governance,
assist the executive to be focused and committed to delivering good
governance to the citizens and helps the legislature to make
efficient laws that will promote good governance and curb
corruption.”
The Chairman of PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, said paying lip service
to the fight against corruption ridicules the whole exercise.
He said, “Fighting corruption cannot be lip service. You cannot
be corrupt and be talking against corruption; it ridicules the
whole exercise and the spirit of that struggle.
“And so we should purge ourselves of corruption so that we can
stand on firm ground to speak. Some might have been corrupt in the
past but if you purge yourselves then you are welcome. It ridicules
the whole process when we see people waxing lyrical on
anti-corruption whereas behind them, they have huge load of assets
and other things which they corruptly acquired.
“So, collaboration and cooperation is essential because we need
each other in order to succeed. But I think I will rather work
alone than work with a corrupt person who is not sincere and is
just making a fool of the whole country whilst preaching like a
pastor about corruption,” he stated.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said the latest
corruption perception index released by Transparency International
should not in any way be seen as a setback for the
country.
According to him, it is an opportunity to continue building on
the many successes that have already been recorded by the Muhammadu
Buhari led administration in all the key sectors.
He spoke on the theme: “The imperative of cooperation of arms of
government in a democratic dispensation”, at the Dialogue of Organs
of Government on Reform of Justice Sector and Campaign Against
corruption, jointly organized by the Presidential Advisory
Committee Against Corruption and Federal Ministry of Justice.
Osinbajo, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief
of Staff, Ade Ipaye, insisted the administration is recording
progress in the fight against corruption, noting that perception
may indeed lag behind reality.
He said: “This dialogue couldn’t have come at a better time
because only recently, Transparency International released a report
suggesting that Nigerian declined in the perception index for
reasons which I will discuss shortly.
“We are firmly of the view that real progress is being achieved
in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, and perception may
indeed lag behind reality. But as the saying goes, perception is
sometimes stronger than reality, so we have to keep up the good
fight, until the full effect of our efforts can be clearly seen and
perceived.
“In that regard, the ranking of Nigeria by the 2017 Transparency
International Corruption Perception Index, released on February
21st, 2018, should not in any way be seen as a setback but rather
as an opportunity to continue building on the many successes that
have already been recorded by this government in all the key
sectors.
“It is also important to note that the main reason for Nigeria’s
decline in the Transparency International 2017 Corruption
Perception Index, is that Nigeria recorded a major drop in score on
just one out of the nine international recognized indexes used by
Transparency International, to ascertain perceived levels of public
sector corruption from the perspective of experts and business
people.
“So the drop recorded was in just one out of the nine recognized
indexes. The index in question scored Nigeria low on the economy
intelligence unit country’s risk service with the decline from 37
points to 20. This is an index that analysis the risks of financial
exposure in countries.
“The question to be asked then is what changed so dramatically
between 2016 and 2017? As we speak, the budget for 2018 is under
public scrutiny at the National Assembly, the allocation and use of
public funds is guided by the budget and represents one of the key
areas of consultations and interaction between the two arms of
government that is the executive and legislature.
“The endless number of probes and the use of public funds going
on both within the executive and the legislative arms, underscores
the transparency of this government and its intention to ensure
that funds are used for public purposes.
“What sets Buhari’s leadership apart from others, is the prudent
and transparent management of national resources. Thus, despite up
to 60 percent drop in revenue, we have by stopping grand
corruption, make highest capital spend in the history of Nigeria,
in the sum of N1.3 trillion in 2017.
“We have for the first time taken on the game changing
infrastructure projects. So we are today building the Lagos-Kano
standard gauge rail line beginning with the Lagos Ibadan segment.
We are also building after 40 years, the Mambila Hydro Project,
construction of the second Niger Bridge is ongoing daily, we have
signed up for the Lagos-Calabar rail project, we are daily
increasing power supply and once we conclude some strategic
transmission project, we will see a truly significant and
appreciable improvement in domestic and industrial power supply in
Nigeria.
“Also this government has given more to support the state
governments than any other government since 1999. As of
September2017, total support from excess crude account loan and
budget support facility, excluding now the Paris Club refund, is in
the order of N873.3 billion. If we add the Paris club refund, we
would have disbursed N1.91 trillion to the states outside of their
monthly allocations.
“This government should be applauded for exercising restraint
and discipline in its appointment of public servants. The number of
appointed public servants pales in comparison to the number of
civil servants. The process of appointing public servants is also
guided strictly by legislature.
“This, the assessment of Transparency International inquiry into
whether or not there is a professional civil service and whether
large number of officials are directly appointed by government
should have taken this into consideration.” he said.
Osinbajo also said that the three arms of government will have
to cooperate to be able to maintain a workable institution.
He said, “And when this cooperation happens, it strengthens the
democratic process, promote good governance and responsible
leadership, promotes transparency and accountability in governance,
assist the executive to be focused and committed to delivering good
governance to the citizens and helps the legislature to make
efficient laws that will promote good governance and curb
corruption.”
The Chairman of PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, said paying lip service
to the fight against corruption ridicules the whole exercise.
He said, “Fighting corruption cannot be lip service. You cannot
be corrupt and be talking against corruption; it ridicules the
whole exercise and the spirit of that struggle.
“And so we should purge ourselves of corruption so that we can
stand on firm ground to speak. Some might have been corrupt in the
past but if you purge yourselves then you are welcome. It ridicules
the whole process when we see people waxing lyrical on
anti-corruption whereas behind them, they have huge load of assets
and other things which they corruptly acquired.
“So, collaboration and cooperation is essential because we need
each other in order to succeed. But I think I will rather work
alone than work with a corrupt person who is not sincere and is
just making a fool of the whole country whilst preaching like a
pastor about corruption,” he stated.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/transparency-international-report-not-setback-says-osinbajo/