Skip to main content

Philanthropists As Fraudsters

By

BEFORE millions of Nigerians, via live television, in the presence of the President, Nigeria’s men and women of means stepped forward to announce donations to victims of the flood that ravaged the country.

It was the worst flood in more than half a century. The sombre gathering only came to life as billions of Naira (some in foreign currencies) was listed as pledges from individuals and organisations.

The donations totalled N11.35 billion; money could bring relief to the victims. More than seven months after the November 8 event, donors have defaulted. The Presidential Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee is threatening to name them after a June 30 deadline.

The committee has asked them to “respect themselves and maintain their honour and integrity”, by redeeming their pledges. It is amazing that the committee still associates the defaulters with “honour and integrity”.

They were not forced to give the money. They saw an opportunity to make a name; they milked the mileage and incentives without contributing their pledges.

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 the flood incidents for publicising himself? There is another side to the welfare of flood victims, the resources allocated to them are not getting to them.

Weeks back, some victims in Adamawa State said they got only N200 each from the State. Would that buy seedlings or repair anyone’s abode? The whole 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.

There is more fraud involved. The committee revealed that some of the defaulters were already enjoying the tax incentives that accompanied their pledges. Their motivation for making pledges is obvious.

Does that not show how resolved these people of “honour and integrity” are to default? Isn’t 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 when they pay. Those who received tax incentives without paying should be punished for fraud to deter others.

In future, more stringent conditions should be laid out for participation in these public events that are becoming breeding grounds for scandals. If sanctions that await defaulters are stated and implemented, they could check the appetite of fraudsters masquerading as philanthropists.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A MASON IN NIGERIA

By
 After all i have said about this fraternity if you are still interested in becoming a mason there are just simply ways in which you can do that, but inspite of my post i am neither encouraging nor discouraging you all i am doing is just to let you know more about this frat and there's more to come about those who have joined, the so called stars like jay-z, kanye west etc i guess its just 7 simple ways to join and off you go  Are there things you want to accomplish in your life? Are there ways you want to enrich yourself? Do you enjoy being with people you like and respect? As a Freemason, you’ll find friendship and fraternity. You’ll develop life skills like self-confidence, leadership, and effective communication. You’ll learn to work as part of a team  and to better yourself as you help others. Think about taking the first step into becoming a Mason. It is widely thought that one must be invited to become a Freemason or that Freemasonry is so exclusive as to be b...
240 comments
Read more

13 Places You Should Visit In before the end of 2013

By
  Wikimedia Commons It's more than halfway through 2013 and even though the summer is winding down, there's still plenty of time to book a trip to a great destination. We looked at major developments, cultural trends, and global festivals to find the hottest places to travel around the world in 2013. There are vast untouched landscapes that offer incredible outdoor experiences, cities that are experiencing a cultural rebirth, and up-and-coming destinations that offer great deals and few tourists. London, England Since Kate Middleton gave birth to Prince George Alexander Louis last week , England has been in the national spotlight, and is expecting a tourism boost. But that's not the only reason to visit the UK right now. The 2012 Summer Olympics in London came and went, but many of the buildings, restaurants, hotels and venues that sprouted up to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of visitors who came for the Olympics still stand. Several new building...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung reportedly close to releasing Glass competitor — and Google’s involved

By
This one is definitely a rumor, but its source is reliable enough to warrant a little speculation. Analyst and blogger  Eldar Murtazin  tweeted a rather definite message this week that Samsung is “developing [its] own version of Google Glass. We will see it (probably) around April – May under Gear Glass brand.” Given that Google’s own version of Glass is not expected to hit the mass market until early 2014, Samsung’s Glass competitor could very well race Google’s to market. That might seem like a nightmare for Google, which has invested heavily in Glass and is no doubt planning for a strong event launch, but as was pointed out in a CNet article, the use of the word “Glass” implies an official partnership. Samsung is known for its aggressive branding and Google would likely raise legal concerns regardless, so it’s unlikely the brand Gear Glass would be used without a partnership. Does Google even want to sell Glass, or does it just want you wearing face-screens? ...
Post a Comment
Read more