Daily Independent (Lagos)
7 July 2009
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has urged the Federal Government to take a more critical look at the issue of corruption and specifically the Halliburton, Siemens and Wilbros scandals.
The NBA boss who led a team of the association on a visit to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa, in Abuja on Monday, expressed concerns of Nigerians on the high level of corruption on the country and urged the government not to pay lip service to the menace.
Responding, the AGF commended the leadership of the NBA for the timely visit despite the tension between his office and them, a development he described as constructive and not defined by disagreements.
Aondoakaa told the NBA team that Nigerians must be assured by the knowledge that the laws and institutions that form the basis of their legal system are there to uphold their rights and enforce responsibilities of every member of their community.
Justice, and the means to enforce it, must be available equally to every member of the community, regardless of means and without discrimination, he said.
On the fight against corruption in the country, the minister emphasised the government's posture on good governance based on due process and the rule of law, adding "our commitment to the war on corruption with a desire to achieve zero tolerance, while prosecuting the war within the frame work of the rule of law, are the core values of the NBA."
He noted however that the desperate desire to fight a crime is not an excuse for violating the law and trampling on the rights of citizens. The war on corruption must be fought within the framework of the rule of law and must be won, he said.
The minister told the visiting NBA team that the government, with the support of the Bar, has a compelling need to decongest the prisons and improve on all places of detention in line with international standard.
He noted that a legal audit has been carried out with the view to working out the modalities for the establishment of an independent monitoring group on all places of detention.
He expressed delight that the Federal Executive Council has approved the National Action plan to combat Human Trafficking, which has also been adopted by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Ghana.
Aondoaka, disclosed that government has approved N42 million for the Mike Okiro Committee investigating the Halliburton scandal.
He pointed out that the approval followed a request by the Okiro panel investigating the $180 million bribery scam.
Aondoakaa assured Nigerians that government would charge anybody found culpable or seen to have compromised himself.
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