In the ongoing minimum wage review, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, promises that MPs would make sure Nigerians receive a living wage.
Abbas made the commitment on Tuesday in Abuja at the National Policy Dialogue on Corruption, Social Norms, and Behaviour Change in Nigeria. He was represented by Hon. Busayo Oluwole-Oke, who represents the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency.
The Independent Corrupt Practise and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), along with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and receiving funding from the MacArthur Foundation, organised the event.
The speaker vowed that lawmakers would help the ICPC in its fight against corruption, but added that the causes of the problem needed to be addressed.
“We must realise that a variety of factors can affect how willing a citizen is to engage in corruption.
“For example, the issue of a survival pay system is significant.
“All forms of corruption are a formula for a situation where the take-home salary of a significant portion of the population is insufficient to send them home.
“Due to this, the House of Representatives is particularly interested in the current analysis of the federal minimum wage. This time, the House would make sure that Nigerians receive a living income that could enable them to return home, he said.
He claimed that social safety nets provide security for the populace in many nations where corruption is at a low level and that Nigeria had the ability to accomplish the same.
“As legislators, there is frequently a large amount of public pressure and expectation placed upon us to provide other services, help, and tasks that may not be within the purview of our legislative obligations.
We are all aware of the pressure that legislators face as a result of the flood of requests for financial and other forms of assistance from our constituents.
Make no mistake, he continued, this pressure is a result of the current poverty rate, which was sparked by the aforementioned circumstances.
He contends that while altering social norms is necessary for effectively battling corruption, we also need to address the conditions that give rise to those behaviours.
“Behaviour change interventions seek to subvert accepted norms and advance moral conduct.
These interventions may take many different forms, such as educational programmes, value reorientation campaigns, community participation projects, and legal reforms.
“It is possible to create an environment where corruption is less tolerated and more strongly condemned,” he added. “By targeting social norms and promoting ethical behaviour.”
The Speaker argued that simply advocating for a change in mindset or behaviour was insufficient and that the government must have a determined policy in this area.
According to Abbas, the strategy needed to provide a living wage for residents and reduce the gap brought forth by poor administration.
“Let me clarify that reducing corruption in Nigeria through altering social norms and behaviour calls for an all-encompassing and multifaceted strategy.
“Social security policy, by focusing on social norms, increasing knowledge, bolstering institutions, encouraging ethical leadership, and adopting efficient legal measures,
“It is possible to create a society where corruption is less tolerated and more actively combated,” he declared.
In a same vein, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, stated that combating corruption was a difficult and varied task through the use of his deputy chief of staff, Dr. Saviour Enyiekere.
“However, we must continue to emphasise the necessity to combat corruption and highlight the tactics that will enable our nation to give the struggle the proper impetus.
“In my opinion, combating corruption entails accountability and openness, as well as fortifying the legal systems.
“Such legal frameworks are not absent in Nigeria, and the 10th Senate, led by myself, is well-positioned to fill any legislative loopholes in the battle against corruption.
However, he added, “Organisations like the ICPC must implement thorough anti-corruption laws that criminalise corrupt conduct and establish definite standards for ethical behaviour.
He claims that Nigeria’s current legal framework ensures the independence of the judiciary and the capability of law enforcement to effectively investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
He also emphasised the necessity to have the guts to encourage an ethical and moral culture in our schools.
This is due to the fact that promoting moral principles like honesty, openness, and accountability from a young age will be made possible by establishing a culture of ethics and integrity in the society through education and awareness initiatives.
“We must make conscious efforts to urge the media, educational institutions, and civil society organisations to play active roles in promoting ethical behaviours as well.
In addition, he stated, “we must look for new ways to foster an engaged and active civil society that can hold governments at all levels accountable.”
The promotion of ethical business practises and stringent enforcement of anti-corruption policies in both the public and private sectors, he said, are necessary “if we are to win the battle against corruption.
