Too many issues of near-equal importance have reared their heads in recent times, and they have buried more important issues that are even thornier. In a rather untypical fashion, I'll reach my conclusion before I've even begun my piece: our country will NOT know peace, progress and prosperity (the 3Ps, I call them) under our current mode of governance. To most Nigerians and the rest of the world, this is patently obvious, so why am I reiterating this fact? Fair question.
Prosperity is a function of progress, and progress is a function peace. Then, there's a case for concentrating on peace and the means of achieving it. This lot in government prosper in a climate of uncertainty and confusion, thus, the pursuit of peace, and its attainment, will never be in their interest. Doesn't that explain why enquiry upon enquiry into cases of massive looting in all areas of governance are being binned as soon as they are submitted? Doesn't that explain why Boko Haram, and other militant bodies are becoming bolder by the day? What about indicted thieves among the political elite still freely trotting about and flaunting their stolen loot? What does one say about the compromised justice and law-enforcement systems? We shall forever go round in circles unless peace is established at all costs. It is the issue of peace at all costs that we ought to focus our minds on.
Lest the misguided infer that one must tread the path of war to set foot on the lane of peace. The requirements for the attainment of peace are not that mundane. It is infinitely easier to make war than to make peace. The general understanding of war has connotations of bloodshed, but who in their right minds would advocate war in such form? The war that desperately needs to be waged is against the rot in governance and in all levels of civil administration. Our Constitution may not be perfect, but it wasn't written to be trodden upon with contempt, and it remains a work in progress. It has provided us with all the tools necessary to wage war against its persistent violators, but the will to utilise those tools has been the missing ingredient. The problem is known and the solution is obvious, so, what is holding us back?
Our politics has become a business, not a cause. Politics has been seen, and being treated, as profitable. The First Stage, therefore, is to remodel our politics as a cause rather than a curse. Our Senators and Reps cost us some, in salaries alone, US$378m. There are 469 of them. In the USA, they cost US$93m, and there are 535 of them. Our legislators cost us approximately 4 times more than in the US, in salaries alone! The US President earns US$400k per annum; each of our senators earns US$1.16m, while each of our reps earns US$697k. Now, look, US GDP in 2011, at US$15,094b, was more than 64 times higher than Nigeria's at US$236b. US population as at October 17, 2012 is 315m, almost twice that of Nigeria's (as per UN estimates on July 1, 2012) roughly 167m. How then do you rationalise that? If this is not the calculus of folly, I don't know what is. Trim these outrageous salaries and other emoluments all the way from the President to the Vice President, Ministers, Governors, States' House of Assembly Members, State Commissioners, Local government Chairmen and other political office holders, you can work out how many billions of dollars will be shaved off our cost of governance, in an instant. Another bonus would be that people would stop killing and maiming just to reach political office.
Second Stage: Give real teeth to the EFCC by giving it real powers and qualified personnel to expedite the cases it handles. Amend the Act that established it and bring it under the auspices of the House of Reps. This will free it from the whims and caprices of the President and make it truly transparent and open. Establish special courts to deal with cases and put a stop to cases dragging through the courts endlessly and costing us even more in pursuing them. Make jail terms for convicted criminals appropriately lengthy to serve as a deterrent. All recovered funds should be made public and put in a special Recovered Funds Account to be administered by the Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor with the approval of the Senate, which will also have oversight functions. This will inspire the confidence of corporate investors and the international community. Wilful corruption has to be fought to a standstill. There can be no compromise.
(To be continued)
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