By Tabia Prinewill

Beyond talking about politics, bad leadership and the antics of those in power, very few of us devote enough time to discussing public policy, meaning the strategies and actions necessary to turning this country around. Even when we do have some vague conversations about policy, our natural environment is often the last topic of discussion. It is often said that in a country where many are still so poor, conversations about the many negative ways in which we impact our surroundings can’t hold, which is ironic because a clean, healthy, stable milieu is ultimately conducive towards producing human beings with these same qualities if, that is, not only their upbringing, circumstances and living conditions are up to scratch.

Global warming (climate change), defined very simply as the rise in global temperatures due to human emissions (fossil fuel burning, changes in land use such as deforestation, or gas flaring, etc.) is linked to a higher incidence in floods and other natural disasters. So, countries such as France are looking to totally eliminate the use of fossil fuels by 2040, in favour of “clean energy” which doesn’t pollute the environment or entail ecological disaster.

Hurricane Harvey in the United States, or the terrible flooding in Makurdi, Benue State, due to higher rainfall in tropical environments (as a consequence of global warming), are just a few of the many disasters whose causes we in Nigeria are yet to fully reckon with. From torrential floods in India, to the mudslides in Sierra Leone, governments around the world are faced with natural disasters whose human and economic costs are too many to number. Yet, dealing with these issues will require facing up to climate change.

In Nigeria, land use laws are lax, both the poor and the elite build structures in areas where it is dangerous to do so, which many of us would know if the proper studies were conducted pre-construction or the government agencies involved were neither easily bribed nor disregarded by unscrupulous property-owners and construction firms. Cities are growing but often without adequate planning which puts the poorest amongst us at risk: cheap concrete laid over areas reserved for drainage, blocked gutters due to poor waste management and the explosion of population growth, are just a few of the issues many states in Nigeria are yet to face.

As we battle the ills of corruption, which kills meritocracy and puts the fates of millions of unsuspecting Nigerians in the hands of an unprepared few, we are left with the consequences, both of the angles through which floods could be tackled in Nigeria. Beyond this, a better understanding of climate change and just how much environmental issues affect every household in Nigeria (desertification in the North was, for example, a contributing factor that enabled the rise of Boko Haram) is necessary if we are to safeguard against the now routine devastation which occurs every rainy season in Nigeria.

EFCC

The Commission blamed Justice A.R. Muhammed and Justice Adeniyi Ademola for the loss of  the ex-governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva’s 48 houses which were once marked for forfeiture. How a governor manages to acquire 48 houses is a matter for another day. Barack Obama, even as a former President of the United States no less, doesn’t own as much as a local government chairman in Nigeria.

The EFCC accused these two judges of dismissing the cases with little regard for the evidence presented to them and stated that the case was first assigned to Justice Muhammed before being reassigned to Justice Ademola after the Commission complained to the Chief Judge about how it was handled. Fresh charges were apparently filed but the case was once again dismissed without, according to the EFCC, its arguments being considered. The EFCC’s utterances in that context give credence to the idea of a conspiracy to kill the fight against corruption.

Where are the special courts to fight corruption? How can the Presidency get them without the support of the National Assembly?

Indonesian judge jailed 8 years for corruption

I was personally amazed to find that the judge was “only” guilty of receiving a $10,000 bribe from a meat importer. This Indonesian judge was apparently attempting to influence the outcome of a judicial review on a livestock and animal health law, not an election petition or an embezzlement case; meaning that, unlike Nigeria, no matter the crime or the case, in fact, no matter its severity, justice is served, which is even more interesting because Indonesia routinely features on the global index of most corrupt (or least transparent) countries alongside Nigeria. So, if they can begin to get things right why can’t we?

This also isn’t the first time a judge was jailed for corruption in Indonesia. The Chairman of the Constitutional Court was sentenced to life in prison after receiving millions of dollars worth of bribes from politicians. Yet, ordinary Nigerians continue to make excuses for or protect the people responsible for our lack of progress. It’s called slave mentality.

Appointment of judges

An organisation called “Nigerians United In Diaspora Against Corruption”, NUIDAC, released a statement declaring its opposition to the recommendation by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Judicial Service Committee of Mrs. Tarere Vivienne Nnamani-Kuku as a judge of the FCT High Court.

Mrs. Nnamani-Kuku is married to Mr. Kingsley Kuku, former Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and ex-Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs.  The petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari reads: “The said nominee is the wife of…  Mr. Kingsley Kuku,  who is facing multiple corruption charges before the same FCT High Court to which she has been nominated to serve”. Of course, everyone is innocent until proven guilty but nowhere else in the world would a wife be potentially allowed to preside over the same court where her husband’s case will be presented and therefore have the ability to decide or influence his fate.

Mr Kuku’s trial has been stalled by his repeated absence for alleged medical reasons (a preferred tactic of the politically exposed or “accused” in Nigeria). Patriotic members of the judiciary (there are still some out there) should follow this up and not allow our institutions to further be mocked and devalued.

Why restructure Nigeria without solving corruption?

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), recently revealed how N16.6bn of Benue State funds meant for development, were diverted by an aide to the former Governor of Benue, Gabriel Suswam. The money allegedly came from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, funds meant for Benue and also from the Joint Allocation Account for Local Government funds.

Restructuring will neither make the average Nigerian richer nor will it put food on the table if all we are talking about is political restructuring which amounts to putting more money in the hands of state governments even though some politicians’ antecedents have shown an inability to manage money effectively or honestly. In essence, all we are arguing about are political rights for the few as opposed to public policies which will impact the many. The floods in Benue could have been better tackled if N16.6 billion allegedly diverted to private pockets had been put to good use. The restructuring debate as currently constituted is a distraction, unless we talk about the ways in which it will impact the common man.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.