The fear of unknown and what tomorrow holds is why corruption has eaten deep in the moral fabric of Nigeria, Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said.
The former president made assertion while delivering his address as the special guest of honour at the 73rd birthday celebration, unveiling of Elderly Care Centre and a book presentation in honour of former State House Chaplain, Obioma Onwuzurumba, in Abuja on Tuesday.
While commending the celebrant and his wife for the initiative to launch a day care centre for elderly people, the former president lamented the lack of care for civil servants, whom he said were not allowed to own businesses, and still weren’t taken care of after their time of service.
“I’m quite happy that you and your wife are creative and have this initiative to build a centre for the elderly. One of the greatest problems we have in Nigeria, and probably that’s why corruption is so perverse, is that people don’t know what will happen to them tomorrow. Because there is no welfare system that can manage people. Especially, if you look at the people in the security services for example.
“Today I was just listening to one radio comment, I think they were talking about the police and so on, and it is true. Somebody works to become a commissioner of police and when he retires he almost has nothing. If care is not taken, he will become a beggar. So, such people are tempted to say, now that I am active, let me help myself, in a bad way.
“And of course, our laws too don’t allow civil servants to even have a company, apart from farming. So, you’re not allowed to do business as a civil servant. At the same time when you leave office nobody is looking after you and your children. So,if Onwuzurumba and others come up with this care for the elderly, I think we need to all support them.” he said.