VOA常速英语2008年-Nigerian Group Calls for Wider Corruption Inves

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
21 March 2008

A Nigerian anti-corruption² committee has asked President Umaru Yar'Adua to order a full probe into the administration of his predecessor³ Olusegun Obasanjo. The request follows revelations that energy contracts were rewarded to non-existent energy companies between 1999 and 2007.  In response to the findings, the Obasanjo administration said it was trying to improve the poorly performing power industry.  Gilbert da Costa reports for VOA from Abuja.

Nigeria's parliament set up a committee earlier this year to investigate why $10 billion of investment in the energy sector⁴ failed to end power outages in the country.
 
The panel found that former president Olusegun Obasanjo awarded $50 million worth of contracts to power companies that did not exist. They also found that $2 billion worth of energy contracts were awarded by the former president without a bidding process.  A witness told the committee a company with less than $200 of base capital benefited from the contracts.
 
Two former power ministers who appeared before the investigative panel denied funds were stolen.

Soji Apampa, of Nigeria's anti-corruption watchdog Integrity, says President Umaru YarAdua can no longer ignore the spiraling controversy⁵ over alleged⁶ corrupt¹ deals under the previous administration.

"We are hearing that a lot of these projects didn't go through due process, like basic due diligence, things like, 'Is the company even registered?' We are hearing those things were flouted," he said.  "Definitely, you can't allow those things to go without a proper investigation⁷; so that it is clear where the decisions came from and how it happened, and for history not to put a question mark over their own time in office.  Even the former president should be welcoming of it."

Mr. Yar'Adua came to power last May pledging zero tolerance⁸ for corruption, but analysts⁹ say the government has sometimes taken an ambivalent¹⁰ attitude toward corruption.
 
Perennial power cuts in Nigeria, the results of years of under spending on generating capacity and corruption, have stoked public anger and stalled economic development.
 
Many parts of Nigeria, a big exporter of oil and gas, go without electricity for days, and many businesses and homes rely on generators¹¹.

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 ambivalent   

adj.含糊不定的；(态度等)矛盾的

参考例句：

• She remained ambivalent about her marriage.她对于自己的婚事仍然拿不定主意。
• Although she professed fear of the Russians,she seemed to have ambivalent feelings toward Philby himself.虽然她承认害怕俄国人，然而她似乎对菲尔比本人有一种矛盾的感情。

11 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》