ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR: NIGERIAN YOUTH PATRIOTS (NYP) DEMANDS INVESTIGATION,PROSECUTION OF CORRUPT GOVT' OFFICIALS AND CONTRACTORS

The Nigerian Youth Patriots (NYP) A National Youth organisation promoting patriotism and Nationalism among Nigerian Youths has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to beam its investigative searchlight on the nation’s procurement processes, government officials, consultants and contractors who corruptly enrich themselves by subverting the procurement process, delivering substandard goods and services thereby giving room for failed projects and collapsed infrastructures across the country.

*Amb. Timothy Nwachukwu LLB, The President, Nigeria Youth Patriots (NYP) and the Technical Assistant on Communication, Office Of the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Students Engagement made this call while speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the first ever Nigerian Police Youth Summit organised by the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police at the Police Resource Centre Abuja.*

Amb. Nwachukwu disclosed that unethical practices in procurement account for the large chunk of the corruption bedeviling Nigeria as the procurement process is porous, leading to gargantuan costs without corresponding value, inefficient and deficient service delivery and homogeneous debt as enormous amounts of money involved in procurement lures some public officials into corrupt practice such as bribes, kickbacks, inflated costs, bid-rigging, bad choices of projects.

He affirmed that sharp practices In the procurement process hampers growth, development and places a significant negative burden on the finances of government while increasing the level of poverty, hunger and youth restiveness in the country as funds meant for meeting the needs and yearnings of Nigerians are diverted.

He averred that the increase of failed portions of Nigerian roads and other public infrastructures shortly after it has been commissioned is not directly unconnected to
substitution of poor quality products and services for what was originally quoted and paid for, in collaboration with procurement officers, Internal Auditor among others with the aim to increase profit and make up kick-backs and bribes.

Nwachukwu expressed deep concern that despite the provision of section 58 of the Public Procurement Act 2007 which provides a 5 years jail term without the option of fine and summary dismissal from government services for any public officials and a jail term of not less than 5 calendar years without an option of fine for any natural person, not being a public officer who contravenes the provisions of the Act, yet no substantial convictions has been achieved by the nation’s anti graft agencies relying on the clear provisions of the procurement Act.

He appealed to Nigerians across all levels of government who are saddled with the procurement process to be patriotic and place the interest and wellbeing of Nigerians over personal interests by ensuring transparency, accountability, fairness, open competition, merit and value for money in the procurement function as these will make fund available for the development of Nigerian Youths.

The Nigerian Youth Patriots (NYP) through it’s President, Amb Timothy Nwachukwu further called for a continuous synergy between the Bureau of Public Procurement, (BPP) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Commission, (ICPC) the Code of Conduct Bureau, (CCB) National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other government bodies to drastically reduce corruption in public sector through preventive measures and punishment of wrong doers.