Hon. Yusuf Manu Swa represents Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency of Gombe State. In this interview with PEMBI STEPHEN-DAVID, he speaks on the EFCC chairman and other issues.
DON’T YOU FEEL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE EFCC ACT IS MEANT TO STIFLE THE OPERATIONS OF THE AGENCY AS A RETIRED CHIEF JUDGE WILL BE LESS PROACTIVE THAN A POLICE OFFICER AT THE HELM OF AFFAIRS OF THE EFCC?
The EFCC is a creation of an Act of Parliament. It was created to assist in reducing corruption if not completely eradicating it.? Given its responsibility from inception, the commission has tried to fight corruption. The EFCC came on board very recently. I do not see reason why we should not encourage people who are saddled with the responsibilities of fighting corruption. Whoever you bring today to head the EFCC, people will still complain. A very senior police officer who combines his/her experience in the police added with another experience in the law profession can be a better head of the EFCC.
Corruption is endemic in our society, it is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians to stand up to fight it. You cannot blame the police for the failure to fight corruption. Besides, what support did the police receive from government? We need to look at this logically and understand that training and providing facilities to fight corruption are good instruments that were not provided by the government.
Some states have been at loggerheads with workers over minimum wage…
The minimum wage issue is another problem in this country. When the National Assembly passes a Bill and the President assents to the Bill, it automatically becomes a law and so every person must obey that law. The civil servants are entitled to a minimum wage of N18,000 and if you deny them, it means you are also encouraging them to be corrupt. Remember that the civil service is an important tool for the smooth running of government.
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WHY ARE POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND INSECURITY PREVALENT IN NIGERIA?
I believe the problem is leadership. People vie for political office not because they have the zeal to move the country forward. Our leaders are not committed, we have the best National anthem in the world yet we do not learn from it, most of our leaders that struggled to get independence for this country died without owning personal houses, their children suffered to be what they are today.
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WHAT CAN NIGERIA DO TO OVERCOME ITS DEVELOPMENTAL AND SECURITY CHALLENGES?
We should have committed leaders; leaders who fear God; leaders that will always put the interest of Nigeria at heart. We should equally have followers that will come out boldly to advice leaders on the truth, not sycophants. We should be able to engage in a strong and committed dialogue amongst ourselves. We should understand that the country does not belong to a select few but to all.
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DO YOU THINK NIGERIA IS IN DANGER OF DISINTEGRATION?
Check our history, we have come a long way and have suffered worst situations, yet we always come out strong. Take for instance the Nigerian Civil War, it was a bitter and tragic experience, yet we are one today. Look at the June 12 crisis. The country can solve its political problems and still emerge a strong and indivisible entity.
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ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT OPERATION OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT JOINT ACCOUNT?
I think the state and local government joint account is a constitutional provision and it was done in order to give states statutory power to supervise local government expenditure and in a way, to jointly engage in projects that will benefit the local governments and by extension, the state governments. It also assisted in cross fertilising ideas geared towards moving the state and local governments forward. Unfortunately, the idea was completely abused. A local government is an entity; it should therefore be allowed to operate separately from the state government’s account.
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