Executive/legislative unanimity on fatal recruitment

AYODELE ADEGBUYI writes on the unanimity of  both the executive and the legislature on the recent NIS fatal recruitment, and similarly stresses the need for the petroleum minister to defend the  allegation of frivolous spending on Challenger 850 aircraft

The sour point in the relationship between the executive and the legislature since the country returned to democracy in 1999 has always been hinged on the attitude of the former to bills and motions passed by the parliament. Some of these bills and motions were mostly  ignored by the President citing usurpation of constitutional powers and rights of the executive as reasons why such bills or motions could not be attended to. In other words, the conflicts border on the question of separation of powers, given the thin line of separation between the functions of the two arms of government in some areas. This is why the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately cancel the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) fatal recruitment exercise ‎during which about 17 applicants lost their lives across the country was a welcome development. The decision came barely 24 hours after a motion urging the executive to cancel the exercise and also give automatic employment to the families of the dead ones and those injured, was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

Although the National Assembly did not specify  the gender of those to be offered employment, it was a matter of administrative details that Jonathan directed that young members of the deceased families‎, one of which must be a female, be given automatic employment, so are all the injured currently receiving treatment in hospitals across the country.

The House of Representatives motion summoning the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and the Comptroller General of Immigration, David Parradang to appear before it to explain the conduct of unwieldy recruitment exercise, did ask the executive to provide automatic employment to any member of the bereaved families who are graduates.

As if re-echoing what the House said in the motion, the President warned the agencies of government to henceforth stop mass recruitment in the manner the NIS exercise was carried out.

When Hon. Karimi Sunday (Kogi  PDP) moved the motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, the last thing on his mind and those of his fellow colleagues, was that the president would implement it within 24 hours. This is so because several motions like this have been ignored. One is therefore inclined to ask whether it is the beginning of the executive/legislative cordial relation.

Let it however be added that investigation into this dastardly act must not become another matter that will, like those in the past be swept under the carpet. Again, it is not just sufficient to give the relations of the victims employment,  those found to have played some ignoble roles in the whole saga must be dealt with.  Politicising this shame  will not help the nation  and its people.

Probing Maduekwe
This is certainly not the best of time for the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison Madueke as the Lower House has mandated its Committee on Public Accounts to investigate the alleged financial recklessness of the Arbitrary Charter and Maintenance of a Challenger 850 Aircraft for Non-Official Use. There is no love lost between the lawmakers and the minister whom they consider as being very arrogant.

Many standing committees of the parliament have threatened her with warrant of arrest  for ignoring their summon. The motion that is bound to ruffle feathers was titled: Urgent Need to Investigate the Waste of Resources by Diezani Alison Madueke : was sponsored by Hon. Samuel Babatunde Adejare

Lagos, APC
Prior to moving the motion, the matter had been in the social media, though, the identity of the minister was not made known. But Adejare gave blow by blow account of what actually happened.

While leading debate on the motion, he said:  “These days of scarce National Resources where public finance is shrinking in the face of ever increasing national needs such as roads, health, education and power, amongst others, an official of government could waste public funds on such luxury as chartering a Challenger 850 Aircraft for extra official use”

He alleged that Alison-Madueke had been committing the sum of 500,000 Euros (N130million) monthly to maintain the Aircraft, thus in two (2) years, the minister had committed at least N3.120 billion in maintaining the private jet which is used solely for her personal needs and those of her immediate family, describing it as an  appalling act.

Continuing, the lawmaker lamented that : “In recent times, most States of the Federation have been facing acute shortage of allocations due the dwindling National Revenue which has reduced the quality of governance and deprived the people of dividends of democracy

“Based on reliable evidence, there are strong indications that the above expenditure is only a tip of the iceberg as several other billions of  Naira have been allegedly wasted on flying the jet all over the world obviously for the leisure of the Hon. Minister and her immediate family on trips that were of no benefit to the country.

“This colossal waste is currently estimated at N10billio  which include the payment of allowances to the crew for the trips, hanger packing and rent based on the lease agreement; Concerned that an official of government could be bankrolling this waste in the face of ever dwindling public resources which amounts to a misplacement of priority, impudence and breach of public trust, an action that offends the Fiscal Responsibility Act and all other Laws on fiscal discipline.”

According to the lawmaker, an investigation into the matter revealed that the minister is financing the lease of the aircraft with public funds. Certainly, the minister needs to consult the best minds in the legal profession before appearing before the lawmakers who most probably must have made up their minds in the veracity of the allegation and believe it as the gospel truth.

This is one allegation that must not be allowed to go unanswered, else the perception in some quarters of Jonathan’s administration as creating room for corruption to thrive may be true after al.  But caution must be made on the part of the lawmakers not to have a pre-conceived mind on the matter, else they will be accused of being bias. For madam minister, you need to clear your name, especially at this critical time that fuel has become so much an essential commodity that may soon be denied the  subsidy(?).