Nigeria: Anti-Graft War Takes New Turn

THERE is likely to be no safe haven anylonger for corrupt public functionaries in Nigeria, particularly in the oil and gas region of the Niger Delta. Governors of the nine oil-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River,Delta, Edo, Imo,Ondo and Rivers, are now under official and unofficial surveillance by anti-graft agencies.

Also under watch, are the other tiers of political and community leaders in the oil and gas region.

Besides the official anti-corruption agencies- ICPC and EFCC- a new watchdog group has sprouted in the oil region, to boost the anti-graft war in the area. The new group is known as the Niger Delta Transparency Group, NDTG.

Programme Director of the whistle-blowing organisation, Sowunari George, told this reporter in an interview on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, that the group came about due to the ''sad experience'' of the peoples of the Niger Delta between May 29, 1999 and May 28, 2007.

They are claiming that the bulk of the oil revenue that accrued to the oil-bearing communities ended up in private pockets. ''We can not allow that to happen again'', the new group said.

According to them, ''it has become necessary for the peoples of the Niger Delta to rise up and demand accountability from their elected leaders, their elite in privileged positions in government, government workers in sensitive positions of authority, traditional rulers and all others who serve in positions of privilege and who should be accountable to the people on whose behalf they were called upon to serve''.

Continuing, they said it has become necessary for their people to lend their voices, no matter where they reside to a committed campaign to change the quality of their lives by not allowing their leaders take them for a ride anymore.

However, theirs is a simple strategy-whistle-blowing. Whistle blowing was once referred to as when an employee tells an employer who was breaking the law.

Normally, employees who blow the whistle on their employers are protected by law. If they are fired or otherwise retaliated against for whistle- blowing, they can sue.

But that does not seem to be easy in Nigeria. One's safety and security could be compromised.

To therefore, assist the oil and gas region in confronting unwholesome behavior in the public and private sectors, while not compromising their safety and security, the new group says it will publish freely on their website reports and allegations of corruption and misgovernance across the Niger Delta.

''We will welcome information from anyone anywhere about occurrences and incidences of corruption, maladministration and misgovernance in the Niger Delta'', they said, adding, ''we want to assist our people to report wrong doings and wrong doers''.

The group said any information they get will also be passed on to the relevant authorities.

''It is important that we get it right and so we need the support ad partnership of all people of goodwill in this campaign to improve the quality of life of our people", they said.

ENDS

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