Cleanse civil service, leave no stones unturned, CACOL tells ICPC

We read with glee the statement credited to Mr. Ekpo Nta, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), that “the current anti-graft war is not limited to corrupt politicians alone as it will soon begin investigating corrupt civil servants across the nation”.

It is public knowledge that corruption is almost institutionalized in the Civil Service to the extent that Civil Servants are euphemistically described as ‘Evil Servants’, emanating from the experience of most Nigerians or foreigners that have had one thing or the other to do with the Civil servants and the Civil Service. Nigerians have quietly endured this situation for too long, the step by ICPC is therefore very desirable.

CACOL is aware that even the Politicians, when they get elected or appointed into Public offices, they appear to learn the ropes of sharp practices that enable them to loot and manoeuvre through the valves that exist to checkmate corruption from civil servants. The monumental lootings of our treasury could not have happened without the collaborating hands of civil servants, they participate actively in sleaze for their own pecuniary gains! Or how do we justify the civil servants whom their earnings do not corroborate the wealth which they display with rabid impunity across the country?

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran said, “if your lifestyle could not be justified by your legitimate earnings or income as a Civil servant, then something must be amiss, and it will not be wrong to suspect sleaze, unless you can successfully justify the source of your excess earnings as being legitimate.’’

“As ICPC embarks on investigating corrupt civil servants and the beaming of its’ scrutinizing light on the Civil Service in general, CACOL demands that all civil servants found guilty of corruption must be made to face justice. Thus, we support the ICPC when it says that corrupt civil servants aid the political class in wreaking havoc to the nation’s treasury and are often beneficiaries of corruption.’’ The Chairman added.

We must leave ‘no stones unturned’ in the anti-corruption war; corruption and corrupt elements must be excised from our polity, no matter the facet, sector or aspect of the Nigerian system as a whole. The inflators of contract costs (the 10%ers), the cookers of the books, the bribery receivers, those that benefit from ghost working and workers, etc. must be smoked out of the Civil service.