CORRUPTION is a major factor militating against the development of the country. Precisely, few months back, a section of the labour movement in conjunction with some civil society organizations gathered in Abuja and few other states to push for death penalty for public treasury looters. While reacting to this new development, part of the populace received the call for death penalty as a wake-up call and viewed it as a right step in the right direction. To them, it will put an end to corruption in the country while others viewed the pronouncement and the Abuja rally as nothing but a cantankerous posture because death penalty itself is out of fashion globally.
According to these people, world crime researchers agreed that, capital punishment has not eliminated crime even economic sabotage or sharp malpractices which were the hallmark of the previous administration in the country. Therefore, death penalty cannot be the solution to fraud or corruption in the country.
In reality, it is a common notion that man to man exploitation, oppression and suppression are products of neo-liberal economic system. Therefore, death penalty will not put an end to looting in capitalist setting like ours.
At a time like this when a nation is in dilemma and depressed over the way and manner both human and natural resources are being managed by the capitalist section of the nation, it calls for serious concern, at least when one considers the high level of poverty amongst the working masses. On monthly basis, Federal, State and Local government share money running into billions of Naira through Federation Account Allocation committee (FAAC) aside from internally generated revenue (IGR) realized on monthly basis, which of course, runs into millions of naira. Yet, many States cannot embark on capital projects that will transform the society or even sustain payment of workers’ monthly salary, hence, most states are seeking for bailout funds to meet their monthly obligations, while capital projects embarked upon by previous government are either abandoned or sold out.
Take a cursory look round the country today, there is nothing to show for the oil windfall except high rate of unemployment, decay in social infrastructure, commercialization of education and outright wholesale of our commonwealth under the guise of privatization which they end up selling to themselves and their cronies at very ridiculous prices. Outright looting of the nation’s treasury by public office holders and other civil servants, has become a norm.
The working masses continue to suffer needless and painful economic hardship in the midst of abundance and superfluous wealth as a result of corruption. Though corruption is not new in our Nigeria, it has become a cankerworm that has eaten deep into our system. After his inauguration on May 29, 2015, President Buhari promised to fight corruption. The sharp decline in oil revenue which has fallen below 60% this year alone leaves many to conclude that if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill the nation. This is the crux of the matter. It is why we all need to fight corruption, we equally need to fight the system that breeds corruption. How the present government wishes to fight corruption remains a mystery, judging by individuals with questionable character that emerged on the ministerial list.
Therefore, corruption has a grave consequence and far-reaching implication, though, it is surmountable but not through death penalty. An African adage says, cutting the head off is not the solution to headache. You will recall that in the early 1970s, Mr. Babatunde Oyenusi, a notorious armed robber, was tried and convicted for armed robbery but at the point of his execution at Bar beach area of Lagos State, robbers still struck. Clearly, death penalty cannot and will not stop corruption.
Beyond the stage-managed jamboree and road show masterminded by a section of the Labour Movement, a mass movement that supposedly stands on working class ideological plank should begin to fight corruption within her domain. Charity, they say, begins at home and as such, the NLC must set an agenda to fight corruption internally before canvassing for death penalty for public treasury looters. It is sad that workers of at least 23 States are being owed 3 to 8 months’ salary arrears while NLC pretends as if there is no problem, while many workers both in public and private sectors are still hoping for the implementation of N18, 000 minimum wage since 2011 that the minimum wage was signed into law. At least, we have to remove the log in our eyes before removing the speck from others.
Paradoxically, the NLC leadership must resolve issues plaguing the movement which of course is portraying the movement in a bad light in the eyes of the public.
These include the KRISTON-LALLY Housing scam in which over N3 Billion mopped up from toiling workers and retired citizens still hangs as neither the house nor money is available;
The Labour City Transport Service (LCTS) fraud wherein workers are treated viciously workers are sacked without recourse to either Labour Laws on termination of employment or collective agreement; the 11th Delegates Conference Election Crisis which led to the ongoing litigation between the factions before National Industrial Court (NIC); and the high level casualization and anti-labour practices currently taking place in public and private sector.