gender differential paper IJCRB

ijcrb.webs.com
JUNE 2011
INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS VOL 3, NO 2
Nigeria. However, the EFCC has not been able to live above this image of partisanship ever
since.
Another similar prominent example of the above, is the case of Chief. James Ibori, a
former governor of Delta State who was allege of money laundering. As a result of which a
British Court frozen its accounts. The freezing order was however lifted on the strength of a
letter written by the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation who insisted that he has not
requested for the freezing of the ex-governor’s asset pursuant to his power Under the Agreement
between Nigeria and the Northern Ireland concerning the investigation and prosecution of crime
and the confiscation of proceeds of crime. The handling of the case by EFCC does not justify the
institution as a watch-dog but a toothless one. However, the former governor Ibori is now again
in the net of law as his arrest had been made possible by the British Metropolitan Police Interpol.
(Tribune 21 may, 2010). Nigerians awaits the handling of his case by the EFCC.
Despite the outstanding performance of the EFCC, some Nigerians are of the opinion
that the Commission was just a weapon in the hands of Obasanjo’s Administration to fight his
perceived opponents, as they believe that the Commission was selective in its assignment.
IV Why have these measures been generally unsuccessful?
These measures in the first instance, have failed because they were introduced in an
overall political and policy environment that was not sufficiently conducive to enable the
success of the measures. When grand corruption is rampant at the top level of government and
politics, the nature of governance has basically remained undemocratic, unaccountable and
patrimonial, and where patronage systems have remained intact, one can hardly expect to
enforce measures against unethical behaviour with any degree of seriously or that the
enforcement systems and institutions will be left to function without interference. Thus, the
nature of the state and governance and commitment at the highest political level are crucial
prerequisites for any successful drive to curb and punish ethical violations.
The measures that have been introduced have been partial in nature, focusing mainly on
sanctions. So also many of the institutions that were established to promote ethics and
accountability often lacked the resources, public visibility, impartiality and public support that
are critical for their success. It is also no secret that many corrupt ex- officials have the influence
and resources to thwart the best efforts of the Commission to bring them to justice.
In addition, some of the delays in investigation and prosecution of cases are attributable
to serious short falls in personnel for quick response to established complaints and clues. The
state of affairs is further compounded by shocking delays in the trial of suspects. Is justice
delayed the same as justice denied? Ironically, the tortoise pace system is aided and abetted by
members of the Nigeria Bar Association, especially senior advocates, who manipulate their
knowledge of the judicial process to stall the swift dispensation of justice.
The degree of the task to deal with corrupt practices and to promote ethics and
accountability in the Nigerian Public Service is not to be underestimated. Despite set-backs
experienced in this regard, it is still possible to score gains in a meaningful manner.
V
The Way Forward
The various Commissions that are put in place to serve as Watch-Dog institutions for
upholding Administrative sanity in the Nigerian Public offices should live up to expectation and
up to its slogan that “nobody is above the law”. Moreover, appropriate sanctions should be
imposed on those found to be engaged in various activities that could result to corruption to
serve as deterrents to would – be criminals. Our leaders should live by example, there should be
adequate provision for legal tools to prosecute offenders while the fight against unethical
behaviour should be handled individual and collectively. There should be removal of the acute
feeling of job insecurity among civil servants which creates the temptation to protect oneself
when thrown out of a job quite often for reasons unrelated to one’s performance and conduct.
There should be a programme of mass education with the purpose of increasing the awareness of
COPY RIGHT © 2011 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 1398