Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday attributed the menace of corruption pervading the country to the fear of an uncertain future.
He said some people embrace corruption because they “don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”
Jonathan spoke in Abuja at an event to mark the 73rd birthday of a former State House Chaplain, Obioma Onwuzurumba.
The birthday was marked with the unveiling of the Elderly Care Centre and a book presentation.
While commending Onwuzurumba and his wife for the initiative to launch a daycare 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 do not receive proper care while in service.
He said, “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.
“This is 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 retired, and 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.’
“Our laws too do not allow civil servants to even have a company, apart from farming. So, you are not allowed to do business as a civil servant. At the same time, when you leave the 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.”
A former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Peter Akinola, said the value and practice of care for the aged were fading among the younger generation and called for support to make the elderly centre a reality.
