NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

By Benjamin Aliu Snr.

When the Yar’ Adua Administration took over Aso Rock, a lot of Nigerians breathed a sigh of relief with the thought that they have seen the last of Looting of public funds and Scandals but unfortunately, the Yar’ Adua Government is CLOAKED in Scandals. There is hardly any Ministry or Government Agency that is not involved in one scandal or another. Even the President’s wife is involved in scandals and in the history of our country, only IBB’s wife has been involved in scandals before now.

The rate at which Government Officials at all levels including the National Assembly are embezzling public Funds and taking bribes left right and center and in the process running the Country to the ground is alarming. While the Economy is gridding to a halt the profligacy and plundering continues. It is nothing but organized Thievery from the Top to the bottom.

In the Saturday Tribune of November 7, 2009 it was reported that the Speaker of the Federal House of Rep. Mr. Dimeji Bankole and his deputy bought 18 Bulletproof Vehicles each costing #85 Million. Can anybody in their right mind tell the Nigerian People what these two men need 18 official Vehicles for at the tax payers’ expense? No wonder the President and members of the National Assembly do not care about Kidnappings that have run amuck all over the Country. After all they and members of their families ride around in bulletproof vehicles and Police escorts. What happened to the bulletproof vehicles that the Speaker and his deputy bought in 2007? This calls for a full scale investigation and a day of outrage by the Nigerian People. This is our money that is being wasted and these people will continue to get away with the looting because we let them. We all can see why the National Assembly is afraid to pass the freedom of Information Bill – they all have Skeletons in their cupboards.

Photo Above: Sacked Corrupt Nigerian police chief, Balogun in hospital after scuffle with EFCC. He was later jailed 6 months. [ *Read Balogun EFCC Scuffle Story at:- http://www.africamasterweb.com/AdSense/NigeriaNationsAngerAtLooters.html ]

Every where one goes in our Country Nigeria one thing is glaring – CORRUPTION facilitated by Governments at all Levels. Recently, the Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Odein Ajumogobia stated that in 2008 the GOVERNMENT SPENT OVER #650 Billion as subsidy on importation of Petroleum. This is at a time when our four Refineries are not working. In fact they have not worked since the era of IBB. If our Refineries were working, that could have been money saved. What exactly is the Government doing about the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of our Refineries? Mr. Yar’ Adua does not think that he owes the Nigerian People any explanation because he was not elected by the People.

The reason why our Refineries are not working is organized Corruption. It is alleged that the Petroleum importing Cartel pay NNPC staff and thugs to sabotage the Refineries and the do nothing Government look the other way. Why with all the resources at its disposal has n’t the Government been able to do something to arrest the situation? How much does it cost to build a new Refinery and why is the Government sabotaging the efforts of Private individuals and Companies that are willing to use their money to build Refineries?

In 1979, a liter of petrol cost 15 kobo, during the diabolical administration of Sani Abacha, a liter sold for N20. The know it all Olusegun Obasanjo who was both President and Minister of petroleum in his eight years in office raised it to N22 per liter in 2000 and by 2006 he has raised it to N65.00 per liter. Why is it that for over twenty years, we have not been able to fix our Refineries to work at full capacity but we continue to spend humongous amount of money in the importation of finished petroleum products ? The reason is organized corruption. It is a shame and those in the corridor of power need to bury their heads in shame for they have abandoned their responsibilities to our dear Nation due to greed.

At 49, the World is passing us by due to greed, corruption and bad leadership. Everywhere you look, corruption stairs you right in the face and no one in the corridor of power is interested in fighting corruption. The so-called war on corruption by the Yar; Adua administration is just a slogan. In Nigeria, corruption is made complicated by the recycling of the same group of people and the only reason they are recycled is their ability to continue to perpetrate the culture of corruption.

Looting has become the motivation for people to go into politics. Public officials now embezzle Billions and arrogantly display their wealth. The Looting culture has led to the breeding of the “Me Generation”. All that people think about these days is how to steal public funds. All that the young generation see around them is Government Officials stealing and displaying their wealth and as they grow all they think about is making money by any means necessary. Looting of public funds and corruption has become a way of life and none of those in the corridor of power seem to care about the damage that their action is doing to the Country.

The same people that loot public funds enthrone themselves as Political godfathers and kingmakers. With these criminals in control of the Nation’s politics and Economy where do we as a nation go from here? None of those in the corridor of power today – Yar’ Adua, David Mark and Dimeji Bankole can say with all honesty that they won the election to their respective office. They all got to where they are by way of political godfathers or kingmakers and that has tainted and limited their ability to lead our nation out of the present situation. “Things have fallen apart and the center can no longer hold, Anarchy is loosed upon our Nation” (Armed robbers and Kidnappers). The Nigerian people deserve better Leadership. Something is got to give for the Nation to move forward. God Bless Nigeria.

Benjamin Aliu Snr. writes from Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.