It is no longer news that the Nigeria’s economy has been on the down side in the past few months; the media is awash with the news that many state governments have not been paying their workers’ salaries, from one month to eight months in some of the states.  It is also a known fact that all these state governors have blamed their inabilities to meet up with their responsibilities on the bad economy and the dwindling revenue accruing to their respective states from the Federation Account.

Unfortunately, some of the state governors have not displayed strength and energy in facing the poverty monster ravaging their states. It is also not news that at the moment, some states civil servants are on strike.

Different incidences had shown the level of degradation ongoing in the states. In Osun State for instance, a suicide was attempted by a local government staff that could not meet up his responsibilities as a father due to unpaid salary.

Most of the private schools in the affected states have been closed down due to the inability of the parents to pay their children fees, which makes it difficult for the schools to keep up with the financial obligation of running the schools.

As reported in some sections of the media, pastors now urge members of the congregation to bring food stuffs and money for those who have not been paid their salaries. An example is a recent report in The PUNCH of June 10, 2015 titled “CAN urges churches to donate food to Osun workers”.  According to another online report, Ogun Senator, Buruji Kashamu also donated trailers of rice to Osun State workers. This and many more is a disheartening situation.

Group, parties, individuals have all protested and lay blames at the doorsteps of governors at the helms of affairs in the affected states. Most especially, the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had been vilified by many for what they termed financial recklessness and wasteful spending. The Governor, on his own part, has expressed his concern over unpaid salaries just like every other person has; he has demonstrated that he meant well for the state.

As much as we would not want to be seen to be holding brief for anyone, the case of Osun seems to be more of a misplaced priority. It is apparent that what the Osun workers want is different from what the government wanted, though the government had made an initial mistake of not carrying the workers’ union along in the execution of its capital projects despite its dwindling monthly hand outs from the Federation Account.

However, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) wants to emphasize that there is nothing anyone would gain if a state collapses. As things stand now in Osun State, what needs to be done  is for the Labour Unions to sit down with the governor and fashion out the most appropriate and acceptable means of resolving the crisis rocking the state. If the Osun people think that the governor’s projects and programmes are not in tandem with what their expectations, they should speak out.

Our Coalition is however against the removal of the one-meal-a-day for the primary school pupils in the state because many of the pupils that are not performing well academically are discovered to be lacking in adequate nutritious foods. As a matter of fact, it has been established that many of the pupils do not have access to balanced diet except from the meals they are served in the school. We would rather advise that the government, in order to reduce cost, look into the direction of the elitist projects e.g. the International Airport and roads.

In actual fact, there is nothing wrong with the government constructing multiple-lane Expressway but with the current financial reality, the roads could be done sections by sections, i.e. they may do two lanes that would be motorable for the people of the state. If the socket bridge could be completed, they should complete it to ease congestion and accidents at the junction where it is being constructed. They could also do double lanes in all the places where multiple lanes are still under construction so that this will reduce the hardship that people go through in transporting their goods.

States should also reduce the number of personal aides to public servants; every civil servant should earn pay by ensuring that most of them work in the productive sector where incomes are generated though income should not be generated indiscriminately at the expense of people’s peace of mind.

Government should also look into the area of Agriculture and get most of the civil servants engaged in the sector so that they would make the one-meal-a-day self-sustaining to the state. Any civil servant that is found to be unproductive, inefficient and superfluous should be sent to the training centers where they could be better engaged with a view to enhancing the state’s productivity and revenue generation.

More so, if the government has not yet established functional marketing boards, they should establish it now with a view to encouraging produce farmers to get busier with their occupation and enhance their sources of finance.

As a matter of urgency, we are joining other Nigerians, to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to also consider a bail-out plan for the states that owe salaries until they could get back to their feet.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has condemned the Rivers State Government for breaking into the residence of the former Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Ibim Semenitari.

The government officials had impounded a vehicle from the residence of the former Commissioner of Information and Communications in the state, Ibim Semenitari.

According to a statement by the state government signed by one Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, in its efforts to recover government property from officials of the immediate past administration in the state, securities agents and government officials took possession of government’s vehicle from the home of the former spokesperson for the Rotimi Amechi administration.

In her reaction, the ex-commissioner said that 10 policemen with machine guns came to her residence without a search warrant and forced their way into her premises to cart away the said vehicle which rightfully belonged to her in line with the monetisation policy of the government.

Reacting to this on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, has described the action of the present government as official robbery, which should not be condoned in the state.

“If anybody steals or lays claims to government’s property, there should be a normal process to be followed for government to take over properties and not through forceful means.

Government should be more skilful in dealing with issues and should not be seen to be vindictive. If Ibim Semenitari or anybody has committed any crime, it is the court that should confiscate the proceeds of the crime; not the government engaging in brigandage.

We are not holding brief for the ex-commissioner neither are we saying government should not claim what belongs to it from anyone that takes it unlawfully, but she should be properly charged. We are not told that she is on the run; she still resides in the state. She should be properly briefed since she claimed that she was not given any notice and was not even around when the officials bombarded her house.

In essence, the action of the Rivers State government is uncalled for and highly reprehensible. As a matter of fact, such act of brigandage should not be seen to have been committed by a government of Rivers State which has a supposed law practitioner at the helm of affairs,” Adeniran said.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has kicked against the N9 billion set aside for the recently inaugurated lawmakers in both the upper and lower chambers of the federal parliament as allowances.

Investigations have revealed that the jumbo pay will cover the lawmaker’s accommodation, furniture and vehicle allowances.

Reacting to the news on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, described that “It is very appalling and unfortunate that the present administration is starting on a note like this despite the promise of change before they got to power.

It is preposterous that the National Assembly of a country that has a preponderance of its citizens living below poverty line could set aside a whooping N9bn as wardrobe allowance.

Earmarking such an humongous amount for such frivolous purpose is the highest height of insensitivity on the part of the lawmakers to the plight of the country as a whole.

This is a government Nigerians are expecting to cut salaries and emoluments of its officers.  This makes one to wonder if this new administration is sincerely ready to live up to its promise of a better Nigeria for all and sundry.

In essence, the action of the lawmakers is not only reprehensible, but retrogressive and must be condemned by every well-meaning Nigerians.”

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on their effort so far in ensuring that corrupt public officials are grilled and quizzed.

This came on the heels of the quizzing of the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro and the former Governor of Borno State, Mr. Ali Modu Sherrif. Okiro was quizzed over his alleged involvement in a N275m fraud during his tenure as the Police Service Commission boss while the ex-governor of Borno was invited over an alleged mismanagement of N300bn during his tenure.

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran commended the ICPC and EFCC for their effort so far on the cases.

He said, “The effort of the anti-graft agencies though late, is worthy of commendation. It must be noted that public officers find it so easy to plummet the coffers of their respective states and nation because they are not made to publicly declare their assets. The cat would have been let out of the bag much earlier if their asset declaration had been on ground for people to be able to monitor the progress that he was making in administration.  By this no corrupt public officials would have been allowed to stay in office longer than necessary.

As for the Ex-governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff accused of embezzling of funds of over N300bn and abuse of office while he was in power, though it is a good thing that he was the one who turned himself over to the EFCC, still the EFCC should ensure that proper investigation is carried and if he is found guilty by the court of law, he should be allowed to face the penalty. Also since he is on administrative bail, the EFCC should ensure that he doesn’t leave the country for any reason whatsoever, until proper investigation is done or until he is declared innocent by a competent court.

And for the former IG, if the need arises for him to be taken to court and persecuted after wards, the  ICPC should ensure that he goes through the judicial process and if found guilty he should be persecuted equally for it; because no corrupt culprit should be allow to go unpunished.   They should be used as an example for others who may want to indulge in any corruption act.”

The Coalition however urged the anti-agencies to keep up the good work and ensure that they make the process a diligent, open and a transparent one.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has frowned at the Federal Government on the secret declaration of their assets and the recent withdrawal of the N2.45bn fraud suit against former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva from a Federal High Court.

This came on the heels of a statement by the head of Buhari’s media team, Garba Shehu, who indicated that the President and Vice-President had submitted their assets declaration forms separately to the Code of Conduct Bureau. The contents of the forms were however not disclosed.  It would be recalled that while seeking election into the highest office of the land, the president had promised Nigerians to publicly declare his assets and liabilities as soon as he took over government.

Also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr MS Diri withdrew the N2.45bn fraud charges against a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Sylva. The EFCC had on May 18, 2015 re-arranged the former governor on six counts of fraud before a Federal High Court Justice.

Reacting to this on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman Comrade Debo Adeniran said “the Federal government doesn’t need to start on the wrong foot. They are taking the wrong foot first by not declaring their asset open as earlier stated by the President himself “that him and every member of his cabinet must first declare their assets publicly for everyone to know their worth before assuming office”. They have not being able to do so six days of their assumption into office and if they should start on this note; it would be highly disappointing.

Although the president and his cabinet claimed to have submitted all the list of their assets to the appropriate authority but they still need to make public declaration so that every citizen of Nigeria would know what their leaders have before assuming office and also to enable us assess them properly when leaving office at the end of their tenure.

Speaking further, he said “if President Buhari and his Vice don’t declare their asset publicly there would be nothing to show that their regime would be a transparent one at the long run, therefore he urged the present regime to declare their assets publicly before doing any other thing.

The withdrawal of the N2.45bn fraud suit against the former governor of Bayelsa State Sylva by the Federal government from the Federal High Court in Abuja is an indication that the FG has something they are trying cover and that would be a bad starting for their administration. The FG shouldn’t be involved in such a case, they should allow the anti-graft agencies carry out their duties. Nobody is saying Sylva is guilty or innocent but that can only be proven by a competent court of law. FG should not prevent him (Sylva) from going through the Judicial process because until he is allowed to go through the normal process it can’t be said that he is innocent and since the EFCC had already charged him to court, he should be allowed go through the Judicial process. “If he is found guilty he should be made to pay squarely for it because no corrupt culprit should be allow to go unpunished without paying dearly for it; but if he is proven innocent by the court of law then he should be allowed to go free.”

So much trust has been entrusted on this present regime therefore they should do everything within their power to be transparent to the fullest and also allow Justice to prevail in the Judiciary.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

An anti corruption group, known as the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has written to Governor Fayose of Ekiti State to as a matter of urgency checkmate the activities of his overzealous supporters.

In the said letter signed by Debo Adeniran the Executive Chairman of the group stated thus; “According to a recent article on PUNCH newspaper of Thursday 4th of June, 2015, “Fayose’s thugs beat PUNCH correspondent in Ekiti”. Some thugs loyal to your government were reported to have descended on a PUNCH correspondence, Kamarudeen Ogundele, beating him up while on official duty.

The thugs, who were said to have laid siege to the House of Assembly Complex and all major roads leading to the state capital, attacked the journalist for trying to take pictures of women praying for peace in the state.”

Debo in his letter said; “Mr Governor Sir, we write to let you know that we acknowledge your apologies for your overzealous supporter’s actions, your expression of regrets, and your assurance of guaranteed freedom to journalist while carrying out their official duties in the state. Nevertheless, such a thing ought not to have happened at all if your office did not allow the hoodlums to hang around the state and if they do not enjoy the protection of the office.

The Coalition wishes to empathize with the correspondence. These are the hazards of the profession, and it is the reason why media houses should ensure that their workers; especially reporters and correspondence, are well protected with solid life insurance policy put in place for them, against all these type of unforeseen circumstance.”

“We hope that your government would affirm its assurance to prevent reoccurrence of such incidence on journalist in the state,” Debo said.

SOURCE: Universal Reporter