It was no wonder then that they gathered in their hundreds on 8 November 2012 to announce fabulous donations for a federal relief fund, one of government’s answers to the devastating flooding of that year.
Before millions of Nigerians, via live television, in the presence of the President, our supposed men and women of means announced donations totalling N11.35 billion to victims of the flood, the worst in more than half a century.
More than 18 months after, most donors have not paid. Last year, the Presidential Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee threatened to name them after a June 30 deadline.
The committee had asked them to “respect themselves and maintain their honour and integrity”, by redeeming their pledges. Nothing happened. The committee failed to name them, covering their crime.
The “philanthropists”, without fulfiling their pledges, made their names, milked the mileage, and reportedly cashed the presidential incentives to donors. If the committee checked, it would have known that some of the defaulters have a serial history of acting in this manner. From launchings in their home towns to other charities they pretend to support, they are used to making pledges without plans to redeem them.
Unfortunately, they get away with their disrespect for the public. Why would anyone exploit others’ misfortune for publicity?
The management of the resources for flood victims is over-due for investigation. So much went wrong and the default in pledges is only a part of it. Some victims in Adamawa State complained that they got only N200 each from the State. Would that buy seedlings or repair anyone’s abode?
More fraud is involved. The committee said some defaulters enjoyed the accompanying tax incentives without fulfilling their pledges. Their motivation for making pledges is obvious. Some people of “honour and integrity” are sheer criminals who never miss a chance to enhance their practice. Is it possible they forged proof of payment to access the incentives?
It is time we started treating criminals in high places with the ignominy they deserve. It would not be adequate to receive their pledges whenever they pay. How did they get away with the criminality involved in benefitting from incentives for which they did not qualify? Those who received tax incentives without paying should be punished for fraud to deter others. The committee should publish the list of donors and the status of their accounts as part of its accountability to the public.
In future, more stringent conditions should be stated for participation in these events to save them from scandals. For starts, the fraudsters masquerading as philanthropists should be punished.
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