By Bala Dan Abu
Tuesday, July 05, 2005

The United States has made a commitment to give full support to the present anti-corruption crusade of the present administration in Nigeria. Ambassador John Campbell, the U.S ambassador to Nigeria told a select group of editors last Monday in Lagos that his country fully endorsed the Nigerian government's war against corruption saying "we are desirous to see it succeed."

Campbell said the US would play a role to aid the success of the crusade. Part of what the US is doing is making it impossible for corrupt Nigerian officials to enter the U.S. "We have already cancelled visas of some corrupt Nigerian officials," he said. Campbell declined to give the names of such officials. He would not even say how many of such officials had suffered such fate already.

He also did an appraisal of the anti-corruption campaign and said Nigeria was on the right path. He would, however, like to see more trials and convictions. Campbell also explained why the US was happy that Nigeria had finally decided to fight corruption. Corruption , he said, is a big impediment to development. He said Nigeria could become an economic giant in Africa if it could check corruption and ensure Transparency in the conduct of government and public business generally.

The U.S. ambassador also addressed the issue leading to the closure of the American consulate in Lagos recently, saying it had nothing to do with Nigeria but was due to security alert from Washington. He thanked the Nigerian government and the government of Lagos State whose prompt reaction, he said, facilitated the early re-opening of the consulate.

Another subject discussed during the one-hour long interactive session with the media executives was Nigeria's debt burden. Why wont the US play a more direct role in persuading Nigeria's creditors to show greater understanding on its request for debt forgiveness, the diplomat was asked.

His answer was very diplomatic. He said Nigeria had made a strong case for debt relief and this has been well understood in the U.S. Campbell said only three percent of Nigeria's debt is owed to the U.S. The rest is to the London and Paris Clubs. He said already Nigeria and the U.S. were involved in a strong and active engagement with the London and Paris Clubs on the issue.

On the controversy over Charles Taylor, former Liberian president now exiled in Nigeria, Campbell said the position of the U.S is that Taylor should be brought to justice for the crimes he has been indicted. He said there was no confrontation between the U.S. and Nigeria over the issue as reports in the Nigeria's press had tended to suggest noting that the issue of bringing Taylor to justice was still a subject, of an on-going, dialogue.

Campbell also made some clarifications on the controversial National Intelligence Committee, NIC, report to the effect that Nigeria could become a failed State in the next 15 years. He said the report was an academic exercise and should be taken as such.