Following the recent executive order on ports, the apex regulatory body of aviation in the country, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned airport officials and port users desist from corrupt practices.
The Director, Consumer Protection, NCAA, Adamu Abdullahi said this as he maintained that it is pertinent for the society and workplaces to be free from the menace of corrupt practices. He urged members of the public, especially travelers, to desist from the act of giving tips and bribes to officials at the airport.
Speaking at a seminar of the Nigerian Institute of Management, aviation branch, Abdullahi, reiterated that corruption is a monster that must be collectively fought to a standstill to succeed in ending poverty, political instability, youth restiveness, unemployment, bad image for the country among others.
Speaking on the topic: ‘Workplace corruption: management perspective’, the CPD boss said corruption ranged from small favors between a small number of people, to corruption that affects the government on a large scale and to corruption that is so prevalent and had become part of the everyday structure of society, including corruption as one of the symptoms of organized crime.
“Factors, which encourage systemic corruption, include conflicting incentives, discretionary powers, monopolistic powers, lack of transparency, low pay and a culture of impunity. Specific acts of corruption include “bribery, extortion, and embezzlement” in a system where “corruption becomes the rule rather than the exception.”
Abdullahi noted that those who justify corruption in the country are clog in the wheels of the progress of the socio-economic development and growth of the country, adding that such individuals do not mean well for the country.
He stressed that the key deterrent of fraud and corruption is awareness and prevention, adding that the fight against corruption should not be left in the hands of government alone.
According to him, workers in the aviation industry must shun unethical behaviour and unprofessional conditions to promote safety and security.
A management consultant, Eric Kayode, said Nigerians must be proactive now that the society and government are willing to fight corruption with the whistle blower policy and the strengthening of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reduce corruption to the barest.
Chairman of the event, who is also the Director, Human Resources and Administration, NCAA, Ahmed Sanusi, appealed to workers in the industry to have zero tolerance for corruption for the survival of the industry.
Sanusi observed all who have been appointed to position of authority in this present dispensation in the aviation industry are professionals and experts into positions they currently occupy.
He said the present administration is committed to the development and growth of the industry, adding that all is being done to ensure that the industry operates according to standards and recommended practices.
