Lawyers advocate policy on accountability, transparency
NAN-H-63
Corruption
By Edith Nwapi
Abuja, Sept. 21, 2016. (NAN) Some lawyers in the Federal Capital Territory have advocated a policy that will ensure transparency, accountability in tackling corruption.
The call is coming on the heels of the alarm raised on the handling of relief materials allocated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps in some states.
The lawyers in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that answerability and transparency could minimise corruption in the country.
A lawyer, Austin Nwosu, said the political will to enforce accountability and transparency, would make people entrusted with responsibilities and care of a state to be mindful.
“It is difficult for public office holders to give account of their stewardship because those that are to call them to give account are themselves guilty.
“They are not transparent in their stewardship and can never give account. It is not right that some people are placed in the positions where they can do nothing than to deprive people of what belongs to them.
“They should not be allowed to go just like that, they must be called to give account and be penalised where it is necessary and praised when it is due.
He said the check would serve as deterrents to other people who might wish to commit the same offence.
Nwosu said that when the policy of transparency and accountability were in place, men of integrity would be encouraged to vie for elective posts.
He also warned that the bold display of wealth by public officials, who could not explain the source, showed the extent of corruption in the society.
Another, lawyer Mr, Joel Ali, said public officers should be made to be accountable in their areas of jurisdiction.
“In fact it is unheard of that people are placed in positions of authority where they do nothing but loot the public treasury.
“They should be made to return such loots and their properties confiscated in a way that others would take a lesson home.
“Public office holders should be made to be accountable, that would make the system transparent and less corrupt.
“It is time we stopped playing politics and making business out of the pains of the citizenry.
“The sole responsibility of a leader, caretaker or a head is to serve, not to impose more suffering on the people under his care.
“We should learn, even enforce culture of accountability and transparency to curb this madness we created and called corruption,’’ he said.
He expressed worry that the lukewarm attitude of enforcement authorities like judiciary, police and public officials could also lead to people engaging in corrupt behaviour. (NAN)
NEO/LAB/OFN
Edited by Lydia Beshel//Felix Nwadioha