Ex-President Jonathan Explains Why There Is Corruption In Civil Service

Some people resort to corruptible acts in the civil service because no welfare system meets their needs, says Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

The former leader noted this on Tuesday while delivering a speech at the book launch of the former Chaplain of the Aso Rock Villa Chapel, Obioma Onwuzurumba.

Jonathan observed that the nation’s law forbade civil servants to do business or even own a company apart from farming.

He regrets that while the civil servants are restricted from doing business, nobody looks after them and their children when they leave office.

The former leader reiterated that the fear of the unknown in the welfare of public office holders after retirement was fueling corruption in the civil service.

In his address, Jonathan said: “One of the greatest problems we have in Nigeria, and probably that’s why corruption is so pervasive, is that people don’t know what will happen to them tomorrow. So, such people are tempted to say, now that I’m active in service, let me help myself in a bad way.”

Having commended the celebrant and his wife for the initiative to launch a daycare Centre for the elderly, Jonathan said: “I’m quite happy that you and your wife are creative and have this initiative to build a centre for the elderly. One of the greatest problems we have in Nigeria, and probably that’s why corruption is so perverse, is that people don’t know what will happen to them tomorrow.

“Because there is no welfare system that can manage people. Especially if you look at the people in the security services, for example, today I was listening to one radio commentary.”

He said people are tempted to say, “now that I am active let me help myself in a bad way.

“And of course, our laws don’t allow civil servants even to have a company apart from farming. So, you’re not allowed to do business as a civil servant. At the same time, nobody is looking after you and your children when you leave the office.

“So, if Onwuzurumba and others come up with this care for the elderly, we all need to support them.”

On his part, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, who was the Chairman of the occasion, lamented that integrity is in short supply among Nigerians.

He extolled the celebrant, describing him as a man of courage who never failed to speak truth to power.

In his address, a former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Archbishop Peter Akinola, said that the value and practice of caring for the aged were fading among the younger generation and called for support to make the elderly Centre a reality.

The launch featured goodwill messages from several dignitaries, including former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim; former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Ama Pepple; and the Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, Henry Ndukuba, Naija News understands.