Elevating The Culture Of Impunity

Following plans by the Federal Government to reform operations at the nation’s sea ports, nearly 10 agencies of government were directed to leave the ports but to the surprise of many people the agencies have failed to obey the executive order.

The presidential directive that was expected to sanitise the ports and make Nigeria the veritable business destination could not be carried out because the officials claim that their head offices have not directed them to move. Some others simply defy the Federal Government order for very obvious reasons.

Indeed, it took the disgust of some individuals and the threat of freight forwarders in the country to embark on a one-day strike at the nation’s gateways to bring this official display of impunity to limelight. Yet, the agencies, all of which answer to the Federal Government continue to operate at the ports.

Consequently, Federal Government authorities issued an ultimatum for the agencies to leave the ports within one week or be forced out. Government also directed the Nigeria Ports Authority to enforce the directives.

Clearly, this is not how it should be. The kind of things agencies of government do in Nigeria have often shamed the nation, but this crass display of insubordination especially, to the extent it elevates the culture of impunity to formal grounds is the height of it.

Until recently, the cry of the nation over the culture of impunity had been blamed on the informal sector. It was easy to blame an individual, a cult and perhaps an organization, but not formal agencies. Although this may not be the first time this could be happening, it needs to be watched in the interest of law and order in the country.

Things like this do not just happen, they may be symptomatic of a deeper decay that Nigeria should not continue to ignore. It may be a reflection of the place of law and order in the country, especially with regard to how even the government and people in very high offices respond to the dictum of the rule of law in the country.

It is now common knowledge that some agencies of government over the years deliberately disregard court orders, especially during election years, and nobody suffers any consequence. States and even the Federal Government should be worried about their waning moral authority to speak on this issue because of the failure of the system to act responsibly.

Only recently, the different levels of government ignored the law on the new National Minimum Wage and played politics with the need for pay rise for Nigerian workers.  Indeed, one of the states in the North openly said it would not implement the new wage regime because it is not accommodated in the budget. Shame!

Sadly, the workers would also not go to court to seek the enforcement of this law for fear that the outcome could also be unpredictable. The unfortunate reality is that Nigeria is slowly but surely gliding back into the dark ages, when might was right and where everyone is law onto him/herself.

But this has got to stop. If good people in Nigeria fail to do something, the few bad eggs would reduce this country to a jungle-setting. If the present government under a man whom it is largely believed, may not have been spoilt by politics fails to confront this monster head on, there would be no number of prisons or police cells enough to restore order in  the country.

The first step to any change would be the subordination of the government, its agencies and operators to the law. The ordinary people should also insist on the punishment of anyone under whose watch the law and indeed any legitimate order was violated.

Everybody knows the rot at the Nigerian ports, even to the extent that Nigerians prefer to clear their goods in neighbouring countries. The loss of employment opportunities and loss of revenue that the situation brings about cannot be supported. Whoever wants to continue with this is an enemy of the state and the people.

We think that everything begins in a day and the agencies that flouted the Federal Government order should be brought under a probe aimed at identifying the person(s) that challenged the powers of the President of Nigeria.