It’s criminal to pay bandits when workers are poorly paid – Obi

From Obinna Odogwu, Awka

Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, condemned the payment of ransom to bandits, kidnappers and terrorists by government, saying it was criminal to do so.

He made the condemnation during the official presentation of the book, Communication and Media Studies: Multiple Perspectives, edited by Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, professor of Mass Communication at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

From Obinna Odogwu, Awka

Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, condemned the payment of ransom to bandits, kidnappers and terrorists by government, saying it was criminal to do so.

He made the condemnation during the official presentation of the book, Communication and Media Studies: Multiple Perspectives, edited by Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, professor of Mass Communication at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

“You can’t pay people for banditry. The only business that thrives in Nigeria is stealing government’s money, banditry and kidnapping. And that’s why your country is not progressing. How do we go and negotiate and pay somebody, a bandit, when we have not paid those who are working. We are owing those who have legitimately worked. We are negotiating and paying those who have stolen kids. It is a criminal system. It is important we walk away from it. Lecturers are owed. How do we compensate those who have not contributed anything to the economy? The economy is not productive and that’s why it is failing.

“We have Professor Okunna and her team doing research and writing books. Believe it or not, Prof. Okunna earns less money than a political thug. That’s why the country is collapsing.

“We need to pay people who are working; people who are productive; not people who are not producing anything. As long as we continue to make money without being productive, there will be crisis. So, it will just be someone to go and kidnap someone and negotiate with government.

“So, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals are called to meeting but professors are not called to meeting. May God help Nigeria.”

While commending Prof. Okunna who was his Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Economic Planning when he was governor of Anambra State, Obi said the first female professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the education system in the country.