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| President Goodluck Jonathan |
President Goodluck Jonathan said in Windhoek, Namibia, on Thursday that corruption in Nigeria had been blown out of proportion and the trend was taking its tow on the image of the country. The president stated this at a meeting with the Nigerian community in Namibia held at the Country Club, Windhoek. He said “corruption is everywhere” but it is over-celebrated in Nigeria to the extent that the nation and its people are stigmatised. The president stressed that while his administration would not condone the menace, using big stick would not be a solution
to end corruption. He said in fighting corruption, government had continued to strengthen the relevant institutions in nipping the menace in the bud. In buttressing his point, the president said that with the promulgation of decrees and relevant laws stipulating capital punishment for armed robbery, the menace had not stopped. The president therefore called on every Nigerian to resolve to do the right thing and support the government in its efforts at building a new Nigeria. He assured that if all hands were on deck and the citizens cooperated with the government, the nation would be completely transformed in the next 10 years. “The green passport should be a symbol of honour, respect and dignity, not humiliation,” he said. He stressed that Nigeria was a great country and with certain definite steps the administration was taking, it would take its rightful position in the globe. Jonathan assured the gathering that with all the political tension being created by the opposition in the country, he would not play politics with the development of the nation. He said that the government had taken pragmatic steps to end the challenges of oil theft and piracy before 2015. Earlier, the Minister of Trade and Investments, Olusegun Aganga, had charged the Nigerian in the Diaspora to build sovereign goodwill for the country wherever they are. He said a lot of opportunities were available for them in the country and they could key into the transformation agenda of the government even from their countries of residence. The minister said that Namibia exported fish and salt to Nigeria and therefore encouraged the audience to go into partnership and see how the technology could be brought back to Nigeria. He said with the signing of 11 Memoranda of Understanding between both countries, there were opportunities for them to tap into it to make money and contribute positively to national development. The Nigeria High Commissioner to Namibia, Biodun Olorunfemi, said that about 2,000 Nigerians were resident in Namibia and they had been good ambassadors of the nation without any taint record. He said there was no single Nigerian in the Namibian prison, unlike in South Africa, and most of the people were contributing positively in the development of the country, particularly in the education, health and informal business sectors. According to him, the Surveyor-General of Namibia, Ugochukwu Okafor, is a Nigerian while the President-General of the Nigerian Community, Buba Maidugu, works as a principal officer in the office of the Prime Minister of Namibia. Mr. Maidugu in his earlier address, said that he was sent by the Federal Government to Namibia 24 years ago in company of 49 others, specifically for capacity building, when the country gained independence. He said that when they came, mathematics and science subjects were exclusive reserve of the colonial whites while the few Namibians in schools were forced to read other subjects. Maidugu said his team started the teaching of mathematics and sciences in Namibian schools and had graduated many Namibian doctors and scientists. He said that between 1995 and 2000, all hospitals in Namibia were managed by Nigerian doctors. Mr. Okafor, the Namibian Surveyor-General, commended President Jonathan on the privatisation of the power sector. He also suggested the setting up of special tribunal to be presided over by retired judges in trying corruption cases. President Jonathan inspected Sat-Com Communication Systems, Namibian indigenous manufacturers of armoured tanks, military wares and communication system. (NAN)