SERAP Seeks Public
SERAP Seeks Public Registers for Corrupt
Officers
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
sent an open letter to Mr Abukabar Malami, SAN, the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, urging him to
use his good offices and leadership to: “move swiftly to develop
and adopt public registers for corrupt state governors and other
high-ranking public officials charged with and convicted of grand
corruption since the return of democracy in 1999.
SERAP said: “We urge you to ensure that the public registers
contain accurate data and are fully accessible and open to public
scrutiny. Aspects such as the scope of the registers, who to
include in the registers, and eligibility for removal from the
registers, can be discussed in a consultative session with the
civil society and other stakeholders.”
In the letter dated 23 August 2019 and signed by SERAP deputy
director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “The proposed
registers are far from severe, and would be a proportionate
response to the grave crime of grand corruption and impunity of
perpetrators and have a deterrent effect. There can be no
reasonable expectation of privacy in matters already exposed to
public viewing such as prior arrest, charges and conviction
records.”
The organization said: “Public registers for high-ranking
officials facing corruption charges and those convicted of
corruption would be a pivotal moment in the fight against
corruption by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the
damage caused by graft to citizens’ human rights and Nigeria’s
democratic process.”
SERAP also said: “The proposed registers for corrupt officials
would serve a public interest purpose similar in some respects to
the recently disclosed names and details by the United States
Department of Justice of 80 defendants, most of whom are Nigerians,
that have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, money
laundering, aggravated identity theft and other charges.”
The letter read in part: “SERAP is concerned that corruption is
so pervasive across many states and at several levels of governance
and has remained a constant feature of Nigeria’s political scene
since 1999, turning public service for many into a kind of criminal
enterprise. Grand corruption has continued to fuel political
violence, deny millions of Nigerians access to clean water, and
even the most basic health and education services, and reinforcing
police abuses and other widespread patterns of human rights
violations.”
“The lack of public registers containing detailed information
about high-ranking public officials charged with and convicted of
corruption since 1999 has allowed many politicians—often with
impunity–to use apparently illicitly acquired wealth to fund
political parties, build corrupt patronage networks, thereby
preventing fair access to economic and political power, serving to
further the wealth and power of ruling elites, and exacerbating
inequality.”
“Registers would help protect the public from corrupt officials
and their collaborators and improve the ideal of representative
government, as it would assist the citizens to properly exercise
their right to participate in their own government.”
“Public registers would improve transparency by making it easier
for the public to track the government’s fight against corruption
and make the government as open as possible in its anti-corruption
efforts. SERAP urges you to push for legislation that will require
public officials charged with and convicted of grand corruption at
the federal, state and local government levels to put their names
in the public registers.”
“Everyone has the right of access to any information held by the
state or by any other person, which is reasonably required for the
exercise or protection of any rights, including those of citizens’
right to human dignity and freedom from corruption.”
“Registers for corrupt officials would also address the paucity
of information about politicians and others complicit in the
mismanagement of the country’s natural wealth and resources, with
devastating consequences for citizens’ enjoyment of their human
rights.”
“Many citizens lack knowledge and awareness of those charged
with and convicted of grand corruption, and those that are
complicit in the mismanagement of the country’s wealth and
resources.”
“We hope that the aspects highlighted will help guide your
actions in developing and adopting public registers for corrupt
officials and proposing legislation on the matter, as appropriate.
We would be happy to provide further information or to discuss any
of these issues in more detail with you.”
Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
25/08/2019
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
Telephone: +2348160537202