CORRUPTION tipped the scale above other subjects on my preference list last week.

This is because it is becoming more and more evident that the cabals are winning the war on corruption. There is no doubt that any battle against corruption in this country must be bold, bitter and bloody if possible.

The choice of corruption as a subject became very vital as a result of the continuous rape of the nation’s scarce resources by government officials and their proxies.

Recently it was the nauseating drama at the House of Representatives probe of the Nigeria Security and Exchange Commission, NSEC, that caught national headlines. At the national telecast of the probe, it was alleged that the probe chairman, Herman Hembe, demanded for a N44 million gratification through an unnamed proxy to clear the ‘runway’ for an easy landing for all members of the NSE under probe. It was also alleged that Mr Hembe collected an undisclosed sum from the NSE with the intention of travelling to the Dominican Republic with a first class ticket but could not undertake the trip. It was also alleged that the committee chairman has not returned the money for the failed trip.

Allegations against NSEC’s Director General were as dire and morally challenging and inexplicable. That she was accommodated for eight months in a five-star hotel gulping N30 million of tax payer’s money. It was further alleged that she collected N42 million to purchase three Hillux pick-up vans with the approval of a NSEC boardroom meeting that never really took place.

The Commission’s Director-General accused the House Committee Chairman before over 167million Nigerians and I am happy to note that Mr.  Herman Hembe has now been replaced as the Chairman of the Committee.

Another heart-rending corruption case was the one involving N18 billion illegally transferred from the accounts of the Police Pension Scheme.

Apart from this N18 billion scam, N2 billion was physically found in the home of a serving federal permanent secretary. A whooping two billion naira cash!

How did this permanent secretary withdraw N2 billion  inspite of the Central Bank’s restriction on currency movement. Or is Sanusi’s cashless economy meant only for the poor?

Why do Nigerians always blame the policeman who extorts N20 from bus drivers, when money meant for the improvement of the social security of the policeman is being embezzled at source by the Directors-General and top ranking officials at the Police Service Commission.

Some years ago a former chairman of the Police Pension Scheme who had very strong links in Aso Rock made away with billions of naira from the  Police Pension Scheme and even till date this man who stole billions of naira from government is walking tall with several chieftaincy titles.

And yet we all descend heavily on the hapless policeman who has neither tools to work with nor even uniforms to wear. Policemen buy their uniforms from tailors outside the Police Force. Why do we then shout ourselves hoarse over impersonation when any one can buy the police uniform. The Nigerian policeman deserves far better treatment from the Nigerian government.

It was also alleged that this serving permanent secretary and his cabal were withdrawing N300 million daily from their secret lodgments. What a pity, what a shame.

It is true that as of today’s Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary is no longer permanent. That means his job security level can no longer be guaranteed. The Federal Civil Service which Nigeria inherited from the British was very well tailored along the English system with very immaculate traditions of integrity, honour and honesty. It was a civil service that was replete with initiative, drive and the spirit to excel.

The rules and regulations guiding the then civil service were well documented and enshrined in the General Orders and Financial Instructions of the Service. All civil servants went through their various levels by thoroughly reading these sacrosanct books (the G.O. and F.I) and passing the promotion exams there from.

And above all, there was job security. You kept your job except if you stole from government purse which was very rare then, or you were involved in other criminal activities. The old civil servant did not have cause to steal to survive. His pay was just enough and after retirement his pension was regular and never tampered with.

But all that changed when the Gen. Murtala Mohammed / Obasanjo regime came on board in 1975/1979 and started dismissing top civil servants on television and radio without following laid down procedures according to the General Order regulations. Matters became even worse when General Olusegun Obasanjo came on board after the death of General Ramat Murtala Mohammed in 1976.

Obasanjo carried out a mass sack based mainly on private and personality related issues which finally disorganised and destroyed Nigeria ’s fine civil service. A typical case of Obasanjo’s vendetta was the Asboro/Thomas family feud which resulted in the retirement, with national ignominy, of Professor Oritsejolomi Thomas as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan in 1976.

Mr.  BEN NANGHAN, a public affairs analyst,  wrote from Lagos.