This Govt Rewards Corrupt People, Says Oshiomhole
By Olawale Olaleye and Bukola Ogunnowo
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Adams Oshio-mhole, yesterday said the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, more than any other, has rewarded corrupt people through national honours.
Oshiomhole, who noted this at the annual memorial lecture of Rev. (Dr.) Samuel Odunaike in Lagos, stressed that the only way to fight corruption in the country is by dealing with people who have been in government at one time or the other.
Also, the former External Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, who delivered the lecture titled "Corruption, A Battle Nigeria Must Win," suggested ways out of the present Nigerian state which has earned the country second most corrupt nation.
Oshiomhole, whose address intermittently attracted applause, observed that said one of the reasons the anti-corruption crusade of Obasanjo was accepted at inception was because unlike his predecessors, Obasanjo chose to fight the scourge that had ravaged the system over the years, a development a lot of people deemed commendable.
The labour leader was of the view that because corruption was almost institutionalised in the country, the word Egunje suddenly became a national vocabulary understood by all irrespective of language barrier, the reason Obasanjo's resolve to look corruption in the face was accepted by Nigerians.
"But five years into democracy, Nigeria is rated second most corrupt nation. This means things have not changed since five years ago," he explained.
"Even in government circles, there is complete confusion about how to proceed. People steal, not because they needed it, but out of habit and as a way of life. And when they steal, they do that invariably out of government treasures," adding that to stamp out corruption, everyone who had been in government must be dealt with.
He clarified that not everyone who had been in government at one time or the other was a thief or corrupt persons, noting that there are morally upright people in government, though with insignificant number.
"When I see the president lament about corruption, I also think of other tools available. There has to be a system of reward of sanction that must be awarded subtly. But this government has rewarded corrupt people. Look at the yearly honours lists, people who are known with one character or the other have been listed," he said.
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