Today, the unending conversation, both below and above the line, about ethical conducts, values and integrity in public service in Nigeria remains a cause for concern among stakeholders and patriots. For decades, the media have been inundated with the subject – at workshops, seminars, campaigns and public functions. The fears and frustrations of stakeholders and promoters were expressed in the conclusion – “the end of the tunnel remains dark”.
Meanwhile, as the public desperately seeks the way out of this national predicament, suddenly the attention of Nigerians was drawn to the exemplary, commendable and unprecedented act of the former governor of Ondo state, Senator Dr. Gbenga Daniel, who, for conscience’s sake, opted to have his pension suspended as former governor and now a serving senator, representing Ondo west. He cannot be drawing from pension after retiring as well as accept another remuneration from government coffers.
This fundamental principle of transformational leadership demonstrated by Daniel is primarily anchored on values, integrity an ethical model worthy of emulation by leaders, captains of industry, technocrats, and bureaucrats as well as managers at the helm of affairs.
It is normal to expect good ethical conduct of leaders who upon setting the tone at the top, resonates in the organisation or nation at large. Ethics, once conceded at the top, consequentially divest the leader the moral right to lead. That creates an ethical dilemma causing trust deficit, ultimately social and moral anarchy on its trail. We can say, therefore, without equivocation, where there is No ethics, there is No leadership.
It is sad to observe how unashamed unethical public servants can be. I am, particularly, pleased to announce that it is not totally bad, after all, given the many unknown cases of ethical conducts stuck in the archives of Nigerian history amply represented by the ritually celebrated army of the “unknown soldiers” never unveiled.
Meanwhile, as a firm believer in the destiny of our nation, I can see light at the end of the tunnel. All hope is not lost, if, and only if, the national dialogue as well as the campaign is mounted, sustained and enhanced driven by the moral leaders entrusted with our collective destiny.
There is a sign of national consensus for the promotion of ethics, values and integrity in a country where, hitherto, is said to be where anything goes given the massive condemnation and public outcry against any arising cases. I lend credence to the call for a national policy dialogue/discussions to initiate a process of exploiting all options and exploring all avenues to promote ethics, values and integrity through a homegrown solution.
It is an earnest and urgent demand on us, a 63-year-old nation, on the path of development. To set the ball rolling, a code of conduct training be organised for the recently appointed ministers as a way of setting the tone at the top. I call for the re-introduction of national dialogue and open discussions on how to implement practical initiatives towards promoting sound ethical principles values and integrity beyond rhetorics and at all levels beginning with schools. I acknowledge previous efforts to do so under different auspices.
Agencies such as the defunct MAMSER and NOA retain the mandate and should be recalled to duty. Our collective belief in the fundamental principles is sufficient to sustain the energy and fire. Our value system should be redefined to bring new and modified standards of behaviour to the fore in line with global standards.
There must be an active role of federal, state and local governments in the national dialogue as well as private sector and civil society groups. Ethics promoted as a science of moral values and norm and as part of the process of national growth and development will go a long way to advance our human course.
Also, answers must be provided to specific questions such as why and where we got it all wrong given the celebrated historic ethical conduct of the public sector in the 70s and 80s, barely 10 to 20 years after independence. This will take us to the what and how to do a re-engineering.
This is an urgent national project that must occupy the centre stage of our polity and must pre-occupy us now. The battle of enthroning ethics, values and integrity is a war.
The media is indispensable in the forefront of this crusade. The press must remove biases, detoxify itself from impunity, and roll their sleeves for action. The impotence of the society exhibited in our indifference or inability to create adequate instruments of ethics, values and integrity and condemn unethical conduct our forefathers did using composed lyrics poetry and poems be promoted as societal internal control mechanisms on unethical conducts.
The head of service must own the process by leading the campaign through introducing ethics as a way of inculcating in the service in all training calendar of all MDAs for the next four years. As a matter of emergency, 2024 should be declared a year of ethics, values and integrity. A campaign series be launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
I am aware that all professional bodies have booklets on standard professional ethics although hardly invoked or enforced. Channel of communication with society to government on complaints of ethical violation as whistleblowers must be well defined and the whistle blower be protected.
We must rethink tomorrow if tomorrow must be significantly different from today. Prof. Gerald carden stated succinctly that “narrow mindedness is a luxury of the past”. Now a broad shared vision of the future is necessary if mankind is to improve the condition… a different future requires a new thinking, new design, new capacities and new measures of performance”.
The celebrated case of former governor Daniel in line with “the fifth schedule of the 1999 constitution was only a lone voice in the wilderness exercising his right of free conscience but has not broken any law if he has remained on the pension list of his state. Part 1 (4) of the constitution states a public officer shall not, after retirement from public service and while receiving pension from public funds, accept more than one remuneration position as chairman, director or employees of government.
Paragraph 14 says in its application to public officers (a) members of legislative houses shall be exempt from the provision of paragraph (4) of this code; and (b) the National Assembly may by law exempt any cadre of public officers from the provisions of paragraph 4 and 11 of this code if it appears to it that their position in the public service is below the rank which it considers appropriate for the application of those provisions.
Senator Daniel could not quote any law to back his actions because he is shielded by law and so are all members of the National Assembly. This is to assist put the record straight as there was echoed calls on the former governors in the NASS to follow suit. we can only change the narratives through a lawful and above the law ethical process including appealing to their consciences and several others in similar privileges that cannot be taken away by law.
The National Assembly should sponsor a bill for the establishment of an agency for national ethics. In other jurisdictions, office of ethics update the pubic on latest laws on ethics as part of annual briefing of the public.
Government should from time to time update the public as part of the ethics program on the review of the ethical laws, all ethical misconducts, conflict of interest, nepotism and related laws and penalties of ethical infraction.
In conclusion, the call for national dialogue remains and the need to sensitise the public sector as a strategy to install ethics in the service also remains. I call on all to deploy all to subdue all unethical conducts in the public sector being the bane of underdevelopment in Nigeria.
Dr. Silas, MD/CEO, Restcan Consult, writes from Abuja.
