Corruption: Opposition parties tackle President
MAY 3, 2013
President Goodluck Jonathan
Opposition political parties have said the trading blame between organised labour and President Goodluck Jonathan over corruption is unnecessary.
In separate interviews with our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday, National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and his counterpart in the Congress for Progressive Change, Rotimi Fashakin, accused the government of failing to live up to expectations.
Mohammed said it was unfortunate the government, which had the responsibility of mustering the political will to strengthen institutions to fight corruption, was passing the buck.
He noted that no human society was corruption-free but that the difference was that in other climes, appropriate sanctions were applied.
Mohammed said, “There is no where human beings will not attempt to cheat or cut corners.
“It is for government to provide institutions and provide laws and have the political will to ensure that people don’t go unpunished.
“Therefore, it is more the responsibility of government and any attempt to throw this back to labour shows an extremely unserious government.
“It shows a government that lacks the political will to fight corruption. How can you come and say ‘oh, I say don’t steal,’ you now tell me that ‘why did you keep your thing in an unsafe place?’
“The only difference is in saner climes, government puts in place institutions and punishments that will deter people from stealing.
“I think it is irresponsible of the government to throw it back to labour and say tell your people to stop stealing.”
Fashakin said, “You will recall that last year January 1, the government of President Goodluck Jonathan increased the fuel price astronomically and labour hoodwinked Nigerians into thinking that they were serious to fight injustice in the land.
“They told us that we should go on strike. Nigerian workers followed the labour leaders. The next thing was when the workers were determined to fight for their rights and freedoms, the same labour leaders frustrated that popular revolt of the people.
“We know that has been the problem; labour leaders have always been used by government in a vary compromising manner.
“At the end of the day, some of them have used their positions to better their lot to the detrainment of the people that they are supposed to be leading.
“That is why the government of the day don’t have respect for them. That is why President Goodluck Jonathan whose government is arguably the most corrupt in Nigeria’s checkered history, will have the temerity to accuse labour of corruption.”
No comments:
Post a Comment