"LEGALIZE" CORRUPTION : NOT THE ROMANIAN WAY

"LEGALIZE" CORRUPTION : NOT THE ROMANIAN WAY

Two years ago, a senator from Ondo State, Omoyele Omogunwa, on the floor of the red chambers unequivocally  called for the legalisation of corruption in the country.

Four days ago,  Rt. Honorable Chibuike Amechi,  in audio tape released by The President's media aide,  Tolu Ogunlesi, in defense of the minister over the leaked tapes,  we heard Amechi stating clearly that corruption is in our system and cannot change. 

If we are honest,  we all know that this society is a corrupt one.  What I am quick to add is that it is not any less corrupt than any other country of the world. 

The difference is that those countries have developed their laws and systems to manage grand corruption effectively, while we have allowed it to percolate deeply into society. 

To legalise means to decriminalise.

One option, and indeed the easiest, as well as most stupid way to decriminalize corruption is to go into the statue books and change existing laws for the sole purpose of making certain crimes legal. 

Another is to create alternative systems that thrives under the supervision of private entities controlled and backed by government power but for which the government takes no political responsibility to external entities.  This is what Britain does with its overseas territories and it is 100% legal.

There are basically no paper correspondence and all transactions are done by word of mouth in utmost secrecy.
The Cayman Islands,  British Virgin Island, Gibraltar,  British Antarctic,  Bermuda Island etc. They all are controlled by Britain and they have secret banking codes that has made Britain the financial empire that it is today.  If Britain is benefiting from corruption, why should we suffer for the same?

ROMANIA

Viorica Dancila, the present Romanian Prime Minister sometimes in February 2017, as Prime Minister-designate,  pushed and supported a major legislation that was designed primarily to decriminalise corruption.

European Union leaders,  the United States and even opposition party leaders criticised the attempt and 150,000 people matched to the seat of power in Bucharest and another 150,000 in other European cities bringing the number of pqfice holders who commit crimes that their penalties doesn't go beyond 5 years will be free from prosecution after 6 months if victims don't go to court. Something like that.

It also proposed forgiving offenders in the same category.  Many believe that this law was basically designed to free  Liviu Dragnea, a Romanian Engineer and politician who was former minister but was prevented from becoming Prime Minister for his 2012 indictment which shows that he committed electoral fraud.

Now,  to those who would like to know what I think can work on solving or reducing the perpetual problem of corruption for which African leaders have looted the continent of over 1 Trillion Dollars and deposited the proceeds in offshore banks only to return our governments to the same banks housing stolen monies to borrow same monies at destructive rates.  It might interest you to know that 1/3rd of all loans and borrowing is lost to corruption in Africa.

As at late 2017, Africa was owing China 140 Billion Dollars. Just Nigeria and South Africa  owes The world bank well over 130 Billion Dollars!

The way and manner that the world bank reports the debt profile of Africa makes it a bit needing of further calculations to get estimates. That's not the focus here. 

TO THE CRUX OF THE MATTER

Every government is established to provide basic services to the people.  In an attempt to provide these services,  the government engages local and international businesses in contractual agreements.

In the same need to provide services,  governments,  where it cannot provide sufficient direct services, regulates private sector owned businesses in pursuit of identified ends. 

So you have commercial Banks, aviation,  hospitals, energy and other services run by private concerns but established to provide goods and service that meets the needs of the citizens. 

In between the provision of these services,  players often ask for gratification outside of their statutory emoluments.  Basically,  this is how corruption gets into the public administration system.

Although there are laws preventing these practices,  criminals get to beat the law serially and take home the sort of monies that fortifies their security against arrest,  and where they get arrested,  make prosecution very difficult. 

Criminals are often ruthless and can destroy a whole city to protect themselves from prosecution. 

How then do we "legalise" corruption and not really democratize it to further chaos in the system?

In the services value chain,  there are 3 stages and phases. 

1. Government to Business (Local and International)

2. Government to citizens ( Direct services to the people)

3. Business to citizens ( Private businesses rendering services to the people)

At all the 3 phases,  corruption exists and the beneficiaries are people who work in the system and not the commonwealth.  My position is that we can seize that space with smart laws that collect such revenues and send it into government coffers,  whilst creating employment for people who do the job.

HERE ARE THE TWO WAYS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.

1. Since we already know that people ask for gratification and give bribes before accessing certain services,  why don't we create and agency or system whereby who ever is willing to pay extra for certain services,  get privileged access for such services and the revenue goes to government pocket?
You want to buy plane or train tickets but can't stand the wait,  pay more and get a special treatment.  Taxes from such special services will be heavy and channeled to government pocket. 

You want to bid for a government contract?  You don't have to pay anybody to get it. If you want to pay more for the job,  contact a government agency and offer the "difference to government" and you will get the job provided you deliver on agreed quality.  If you don't,  you face the music.

2. Financial services is the greatest carrier of illicit funds.  With BVN,  illicit movement of funds will not stop. How it is moved is what will probably changed. 

What I recommend here is for us to borrow from what England has done with the city of London corporation as well as the conversion of overseas territories to secret banking jurisdictions. 

People who hope to bring money into Nigerian secret banking jurisdictions should be able to do so,  whether the monies are clean or not,  they should enjoy some secrecy just like they do overseas.  By this, we prevent capital flight and encourage more people to bring their monies here.  A dirty money in the hands of a criminal will not remain dirty in the bank as our businessmen and women can then go to such systems to borrow money for developmental projects and purposes at very low rates. 

Private businesses collect the money,  do not disclose the owners to anyone but we control the entities that controls the money from behind the scenes.  We can open up a city for that purpose and attract money from allover the continent and the world. 

However,  people who work there are people who government can track and protect. Certain conditions will be given and whoever is caught will definitely "face the music"

This is a method American government also use when going on external corrupt missions that they do not want their names attached to. 

They send CIA agents to other countries to commit acts that are corrupt,  criminal and against global rules.  When such persons are caught and arrested,  they simply face the music and are denied by the state as unknown persons. 

So,  for you who have asked inbox and via telephone calls,  as well as directly on my timeline,  here is your answer. 

The remaining details wil be at your behest and cost,  if you are interested in taken this conversation to the next level. 

I only hope this makes sense to you. If you want to know more,  Friday Happy Hours at Sheraton or Protea is not a bad idea.  Holla!

A. M.O