TUC President urges Nigerians not to celebrate criminal

Mr Bobboi Kaigama, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, has called on Nigerians not to celebrate corrupt individuals who have embezzled public funds meant for the development of the country.

He made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at interactive session with newsmen in preparation to hold one-day rally on good governance and anti-corruption.

He said that the rally, to be held on Feb. 9, in Lagos and Abuja simultaneously, would be in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Kaigama said: “for instance if you go to court in developed countries, you will never see a criminal being escorted to court being celebrated on his way to court or being celebrated at an event."

“But what we find in Nigeria is a different thing."

“So it is not just the issue of prosecution or investigation, Nigerians must own the fight against corruption.

“We must fight it jointly and we will take to the door steps of the criminals."

“Not until we do that, those in the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of government and the three tiers of government will never see this fight as a major issue."

The TUC president said that Nigerians must own up to the fight against corruption without fear or favour.

He said that the rally was an opportunity to enlighten Nigerians on the consequences of corruption and the best way out of it.

“Corruption is killing us, what we are experiencing now is a product of bad leadership; we want to install good governance at all levels especially in states and local government areas."

“The fight against corruption must start somewhere and end up somewhere at the door step of the criminals."

“The issue of corruption has taken another dimension."

“How can somebody who served four years or at most eight years get humongous pay at the end of the day when a public servant who served meritoriously for 35 years or attainted 60 years can never get such in his life; where is equity?"

Kaigama said that TUC, NLC and their civil society allies were ready to partner anti corruption agencies to “say enough of the era of celebrating criminals.’’

“We want the EFCC, ICPC and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption to be strengthened."

“We want this fight on corruption to be holistic; we want good governance, so each of these agencies must do their job holistically without interference from any of the arms of government, " he said.