Sequel to statement by former President Goodluck Jonathan that corruption is now more rampant in Nigeria than it was before now, President Muhammadu Buhari has without wasting any further time taken a swipe at him.
Jonathan made this disclosure in his newly launched book, ‘My Transition Hours’. But reacting to the former president’s claim, Mr Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari said; “For the records, this is the first time a ruling party is investigating ranking officers of the administration, including some at the very top.”
“In addition to the many firsts recorded by President Buhari’s administration, the government has introduced a lot of changes, considering that the laws relating to the fight against corruption cannot reasonably be static.”
“Buhari initiated new laws and proposed amendments to existing ones to strengthen the war against corruption. The Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Bill 2017; Anti-Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Bill 2017; Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit Bill 2017; Proceeds of Crime Bill 2017; Public Interest Disclosure and Witness Protection Bill, 2017; and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, 2017.”
“Nigerians should dismiss Dr Jonathan’s hollow boast that he, not President Buhari, introduced schemes such the Biometric Verification Number, the Treasury Single Account and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System. Of what use is the announcement of good policies without the will to implement them?”
“Since President Buhari assumed office, Nigerians are witnesses to the huge success recorded through the implementation of the TSA, where some government agencies that had over the years remitted peanut amounts or nothing at all are now periodically pumping billions into government coffers.”
“Prominent among these remittances include the ones made by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.”
“Buhari introduced the whistle-blower policy to cut fraud and financial misconduct. Within six months of introducing this policy, over 5,000 reports were made through various channels, 365 actionable tips were received out of the 5,000 reports. So far more than N200bn has been recovery.”
“As of 2015, there was only N19.5bn in the recovery account. After one year of the new anti-corruption drive by the Buhari administration, this figure had gone up to N279 bn, and since then a lot more has been recovered.”
“As evidenced from a fleeting look at the book, the former President had nothing to say about his own achievements. If there was a recession, and yes we had a moment in it, was it due to one year of President Buhari’s government?”
“In his efforts to blame everyone but himself for his failures, Dr Jonathan heaped the blame for the predictable economic recession on President Buhari, ignoring the seeds sown under him through mismanagement and the process set in firm roots for the decline of the economy. Evidently, he did nothing to avert the situation.”