It's time to play by a different (ethical) set of rules (Part 2)
I must apologize, it's been a while now, I've been trying so hard to get through with a project that's heavily wishing down on my shoulders.
Well here I am writing again, I guess the Elephant will always come back to the lake no matter how far he goes away from it. Today I bring you the second episode in the series i promised to bring you
daily. Please read...
A brush with President Charles Taylor of Liberia.
When you’re setting up a cell phone network, one of the
most critical facilities you have to build is what is known
as the Switch Center. This is where we house the huge
complex of computers that process calls coming in and
out. The equipment is housed in highly secure buildings
that cost millions. It takes months to prepare such a
facility before you can even install the equipment.
In 2001 after we got the license in Nigeria, we set about
trying to find a building big enough to house the Switch
facilities in Lagos. It was not an easy task to find the right
type of building, and time was running out. We had paid
$285m for the license, and had been given six months to
set up our operations. Failure to meet the deadline would
have resulted in a loss of the license.
Then one day our estate agent came and told me they had
found the perfect building. It was actually the Liberian
Embassy building in Lagos. The government of Liberia,
then ruled by Charles Taylor, wanted to sell the building
and move to the political capital, Abuja.
It took only a few days for our people to reach agreement
over the price. Sale and purchase documents were drawn
up and payment terms prescribed. It was a lot of money,
which meant I would have to personally sign off on the
payment. As I sat there in my office in Lagos, looking at
the documents, I noticed that payment had to go to an
account in Switzerland...
"Why is the money not going to Liberia?" I quizzed my
staff. Initially, it seemed to be a detail no one had picked
up.
___"Is it really our business where they want the money
sent?" someone asked.
I refused to sign.
The ambassador came to see me at my office, with an
entourage of officials. There was a sense of urgency on
their part.
I explained to the ambassador that I wanted a Government
of Liberia bank account number, and I also wanted a
Cabinet Minute authorising the sale. (A Cabinet Minute
usually covers essential matters for consideration by a
government cabinet minister, such as purpose,
recommendation, background and options. It records the
outcome of Cabinet's consideration of the previous week's
Cabinet committee decisions).
He seemed to agree that my request was reasonable and
promised to cooperate.
The following day he called me and said the President's
brother had been dispatched to "sort out the
misunderstanding over the account details."
"Ambassador, there is no misunderstanding. This is
government property, and all I want is the necessary
documentation to show that the sale has been formally
approved by all relevant authorities, and I want an
account in Liberia."
He was now getting quite desperate and agitated, even
suggesting they had another buyer in the wings.
I would not budge.
On another occasion, he invited me to travel to Liberia as
a guest of the President. He thought it would impress me.
Sometimes (not always), corrupters try to dangle the
"flattery" of high-level meetings with top leaders or their
close family members to reel you into their illegal
activities.
"Sorry Ambassador," I replied politely but firmly, "I have a
network to launch. We have paid $285m for the license
and have a tight deadline. Please give me the documents I
need."
Of course, by this time I had long worked out what was
happening and was already looking for an alternative
building. I let them stew for a few days, then told him I
was no longer interested and moved on.
We ordered specialized containers to store our equipment
and air-freighted them to Lagos. It was a more costly
solution than if we had bought the Liberian Embassy
building.
Many years later, Charles Taylor was forced to hand over
power to his vice president after a civil war in which tens
of thousands of people were killed. He was eventually
sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison by the United
Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone near The
Hague, in the Netherlands for his leading role in war
crimes, crimes against humanity and other violations of
international humanitarian law.
A brush with President Charles Taylor of Liberia.
When you’re setting up a cell phone network, one of the
most critical facilities you have to build is what is known
as the Switch Center. This is where we house the huge
complex of computers that process calls coming in and
out. The equipment is housed in highly secure buildings
that cost millions. It takes months to prepare such a
facility before you can even install the equipment.
In 2001 after we got the license in Nigeria, we set about
trying to find a building big enough to house the Switch
facilities in Lagos. It was not an easy task to find the right
type of building, and time was running out. We had paid
$285m for the license, and had been given six months to
set up our operations. Failure to meet the deadline would
have resulted in a loss of the license.
Then one day our estate agent came and told me they had
found the perfect building. It was actually the Liberian
Embassy building in Lagos. The government of Liberia,
then ruled by Charles Taylor, wanted to sell the building
and move to the political capital, Abuja.
It took only a few days for our people to reach agreement
over the price. Sale and purchase documents were drawn
up and payment terms prescribed. It was a lot of money,
which meant I would have to personally sign off on the
payment. As I sat there in my office in Lagos, looking at
the documents, I noticed that payment had to go to an
account in Switzerland...
"Why is the money not going to Liberia?" I quizzed my
staff. Initially, it seemed to be a detail no one had picked
up.
___"Is it really our business where they want the money
sent?" someone asked.
I refused to sign.
The ambassador came to see me at my office, with an
entourage of officials. There was a sense of urgency on
their part.
I explained to the ambassador that I wanted a Government
of Liberia bank account number, and I also wanted a
Cabinet Minute authorizing the sale. (A Cabinet Minute
usually covers essential matters for consideration by a
government cabinet minister, such as purpose,
recommendation, background and options. It records the
outcome of Cabinet's consideration of the previous week's
Cabinet committee decisions).
He seemed to agree that my request was reasonable and
promised to cooperate.
The following day he called me and said the President's
brother had been dispatched to "sort out the
misunderstanding over the account details."
"Ambassador, there is no misunderstanding. This is
government property, and all I want is the necessary
documentation to show that the sale has been formally
approved by all relevant authorities, and I want an
account in Liberia."
He was now getting quite desperate and agitated, even
suggesting they had another buyer in the wings.
I would not budge.
On another occasion, he invited me to travel to Liberia as
a guest of the President. He thought it would impress me.
Sometimes (not always), corrupters try to dangle the
"flattery" of high-level meetings with top leaders or their
close family members to reel you into their illegal
activities.
"Sorry Ambassador," I replied politely but firmly, "I have a
network to launch. We have paid $285m for the license
and have a tight deadline. Please give me the documents I
need."
Of course, by this time I had long worked out what was
happening and was already looking for an alternative
building. I let them stew for a few days, then told him I
was no longer interested and moved on.
We ordered specialized containers to store our equipment
and airfreighted them to Lagos. It was a more costly
solution than if we had bought the Liberian Embassy
building.
Many years later, Charles Taylor was forced to hand over
power to his vice president after a civil war in which tens
of thousands of people were killed. He was eventually
sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison by the United
Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone near The
Hague, in the Netherlands for his leading role in war
crimes, crimes against humanity and other violations of
international humanitarian law.
That's it for today, see you again tomorrow...chao!
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