Ethics Newsline
National Coordinator
CCTV TO BE INSTALLED IN ABUJA, LAGOS
In the "Guardian" of Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2006, the Minister of Police
Affairs, is it Mr. or Chief Bozimo, was quoted as saying, that the
Police will install CCTV in Lagos and Abuja, as a test run, and
subsequently in other states of the Federation depending on the success
recorded in the first two cities.
OUR COMMENT.: The Society for Ethics believes this is a classic case of
misplaced priority, given the level of lack of proper training recently
exhibited by the police in the handling of the Funso Wiliams killings,
and others before it. From the various reports, we are able to gather
that the Police has no trained homicide detective, or where they have,
are not competent enough to handle the case. The reason why foreign
detectives were "imported" from the UK and Canada. The Police failed
woefully when they failed to carry out the most routine procedure in
such a circumstance, that is, cordon off the crime scene until
fingerprint experts and the resident government or police pathologist
has examined the body, before removal from the crime scene.
Secondly, the police has no central archive for fingerprints, where,
even when obtained, these fingerprints can be compared. If they are
relying on the manual and archaic system currently in use, whereby even
a common area boy will not be identified, then we wonder how they
intend to catch the professional killers who killed Funso Williams.
All these are pointers to priority programs that the Honourable
Minister ought to address himself to, that is:
1. Urgently commission a criminal database project, whereby anyone ever
arrested and detained in any police station in this country,
automatically has his/her fingerprint on file, and transmitted
electronically to a central server at the police hq. in Abuja. This
will build up a database, that over time will be used to track down
criminal elements in the society very easily, through the use of
fingerprint recognition, or by photo.
2. Commission an effective training program for his men in
investigative Police techniques and not merely send them to the Police
college to learn how to collect "Roger". As at now, many police
recruits can hardly write a comprehensive report, much less think
clearly enough to engage in serous investigations.
3. Urgently commission an effective forensic laboratory, fully staffed
and functional. The police should recruit their own pathologists and
pay them well. Latest equipments for effective investigations should be
acquired and more effort should be given to orientating the Police to
conduct proper investigation in any given circumstance.
4. Make it a matter of policy not to recruit anyone below the level of
OND into the force any longer. Given the fall in standard of education
in the country, most recruits nowadays can hardly communicate well. We
believe that since the Police can only work with materials available to
them, it is important that the quality of recruits be gradually raised
to bring in fairly well educated recruits only.
It is our opinion that the Honourable Minister will be doing us all a
diservice, if he goes ahead with his plans for the installation of
CCTVs. In the societies we are trying to emulate, (if I read the
minister well), such issues are best addressed by the secret services.
A professional criminal who knows CCTV are installed anywhere will
disable such first, before embarking on his criminal activity. It will
therefore amount to a waste of public funds if he goes ahead with his
plans.
-Coodinator.
DOCTORS CAN ENGAGE IN PRIVATE PRACTICE
As reported by "ThisDay" of Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006.
The government of Delta state finally laid to rest the issue between
the State House of Assembly and medical doctors in civil service in the
state. The assembly members are accusing the doctors of lack of faith
in their jobs as many of them engage in private practice to the
detriment of their jobs.The government of James Ibori however has a
contrary view as he has backed the doctors in their action.
OUR COMMENT: The Society for Ethics in Nigeria believes it is against
the standards of ethical conduct for doctors employed and paid by the
tax payers' money to be engaged in any other job, especially where that
may be in conflict wth their present job. An indigenous proverb says "A
madman with a hoe in a farm, will surely hoe towards himself; how much
more a sane and normal person". In other words, even a madman knows and
likes himself first, before any other person, and therefore will
definitely take care of himself before any other.
We believe the Delta State government failed to address this issue
objectively. Such decisions, no matter how well intentioned are usually
prone to abuse. There is nothing stopping a medical doctor from
referring a wealthy patient to his hospital, thereby denying the
government of a much needed revenue for effective running of the
hospitals. In the same vein, there is nothing stopping such a doctor
from handling a not too wealthy patient with impatience or outright
negligence, when better opportunities await him. In our opinion, what
this decision will translate to in future are teaching hospitals that
are nothing but glorified health centres, in terms of facilities and
drugs.
Moreover, it amounts to a "conflict of interest" on the part of the
doctors to openly declare their intention to engage in private
practice. Such things can only hapen in our society where there are no
effective standard code of conduct for employees in the workplace.
Where this is in existence, such personnel will at least have been
aware of the illegality inherent in theri actions and would definitely
refrain from such. As it is, we believe the Delta State government
erred, and should reverse this unfortunate pronouncement. The doctors
on their part should tow the ethical line of conduct; that is, honesty,
integrity and fairness. We are sure none of them were employed on
part-time basis in the first instance.
Coordinator.
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Regards
Whiskey, I.U. - Coordinator