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Tag: anti-corruption crusade

  • NIPOST backs Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    NIPOST backs Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    •Special postal stamp launched

    The Nigerian Postal Agency (NIPOST) yesterday launched anti-corruption special postage stamps in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
    The event is apparently its way of supporting and officially keying into the corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
    The Area Post Manager, Rivers Territory, Mrs. Olayinka Danso, stressed the need for people to support the fight against graft, noting that allowing corruption to continue would promote poverty.
    Danso, a cleric, speaking on the topic: “The role of NIPOST in the fight against corruption”, lamented that corruption had become endemic in Nigeria’s body polity “and the need to fight it to a standstill cannot be overemphasised, especially given the recession.”
    She said: “Corruption has become so endemic in our body polity that the nation’s corporate existence is being threatened. The country’s economic growth, global competitiveness, general development and uplifting of our citizens’ living standards have remained elusive.
    “As a nation, it is imperative that we fight and get rid of this monster called corruption before it consumes us. To allow corruption blossom is to aggravate poverty and inequality.”
    The area post manager hailed the Postmaster General/CEO, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi, for his visionary leadership, pledging her support.
    The Head, Public Affairs, Southsouth of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Dele Oyewale, said corruption forced the country into a war-like situation, adding that its rate was high.
    Oyewale, a guest speaker, said: “There is no word in the dictionary sufficient to define corrupt practices in Nigeria.
    “It makes us to be in a war-like situation.”
    He said the anti-corruption fight is not a vindictive fight and enjoined everyone to join.

  • Osinbajo: Varsities must support Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    Osinbajo: Varsities must support Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    …Says anti-corruption fight will touch every sector

     

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged universities and other tertiary institutions in the country to key in to the anti-corruption crusade of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    He said the tertiary institutions are well placed as moulders of the future generations to spearhead a national orientation against corruption which he described as a cankerworm as too endemic to be overlooked.

    Osinbajo who stated this on Friday at the 4th Convocation of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) stressed that no sector of the Nigerian society will be spared in the fight against corruption.

    The Vice President called on the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature to join hands together to fight graft to a standstill adding that the leadership of the law profession to which he (Osinbajo) and ABUAD Founder/Chancellor, Chief Afe Babalola belong should support the Federal Government in the anti-corruption war.

    A total of 912 ABUAD students graduated with 61 bagging First Class Honours. Ariyibi Olawale Emmanuel, from the Geology Department who scored 5.00 CGPA to emerge as the best graduating student won a cash prize of N1 million from the Founder.

    President, Central State University, Wilberforce Island, Ohio, United States, Prof. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond; President, Coscharis Group, Mr. Cosmas Maduka and Ibadan-based industrialist, Chief Raymond Zard were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees at the convocation.

    Osinbajo showered encomiums on ABUAD Founder for his stand against corruption which saw to the establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the emergence of Hon. Justice Emmanuel Ayoola as its first Chairman.

    The Vice President said: “My learned senior, Chief Afe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appeared in a famous case in 2001 appeared for the Federal Government in which he said that corruption is the greatest hindrance to our development.

    “I have great respect for Chief Afe Babalola because of his stand against corruption. Sometimes in 2001, Chief Babalola argued the case for the establishment of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) where he let the court realized that corruption is the greatest problem of our nation.

    “What we need is serious reorientation. That is why ABUAD is a great university because it teaches learning, character and morality. So, value reorientation is a key weapon to fight corruption.

    “That was why the present federal government is intervening, because if we refuse every facet of the country will fail.  We must act fast and deal with the situation as quickly as possible.”

    He noted that what is happening in the country, especially the high level of poverty in the system and many other menaces bedeviling the country, was a direct consequences of corruption that has permeated every sector of the economy.

    Responding to Governor Ayo Fayose’s request for an airport in Ekiti State, Osinbajo said the Fountain of Knowledge deserves such a project noting considering its importance to an institution like ABUAD.

    Osinbajo added: “Ekiti State deserves an airport but I have discussed what we need in return  with His Excellency (Fayose).

    “The Federal government we continue to give support to every project that will fast-track development in each of the states of the federation. We know how important is this airport to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti(ABUAD).”

    Offering some advice to the graduating students, Osinbajo urged them to learn skills that will enhance their value and also develop and maintain integrity.

    He said: “You must appreciate that this is the age of multi-tasking and multi-skilling is crucial today. One must today learn to be a master of himself and you must be technology savvy in whatever you choose to do.

    “Talent is nothing if you are not diligent; integrity is important because lack of integrity may come back to haunt you because you may need the recommendation of somebody.”

    Osinbajo stated he never had misgiving for Babalola’s competence to run an all-inclusive university, on the strength of his achievements as the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos between 2001 and 2008.

    Fayose advocated the inclusion of the Ekiti Airport in the 2017 Appropriation Bill saying the project will be in the overall interest of the people of the state.

    The governor urged the federal government to replicate all the good virtues ABUAD represents in the federal universities, describing the only private university in the state as a reference point  to other universities not only in the country, but in Africa at large.

     

  • Jibrin warns Reps over N10m running cost allowance

    Jibrin warns Reps over N10m running cost allowance

    The suspended former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin  Jibrin seems not discouraged in his new anti- corruption crusade against the House of Representatives.

    In a letter dated September 29, 2016 titled: ” burden of proof of evidence: running cost of honourable members of the House of Representatives,”  the lawmaker asked his colleagues to return a total of N10 million running cost allowance given to each member

    His letter made available to reporters Thursday reads in part: “I wish to draw your attention to the fact that since you suspended me yesterday and the suggestion of the Ethics Committee report that my allegations were generalized and without proof, I have come under intense public scrutiny and pressure to prove that there exists systemic corruption in the House.

    “I have taken it as a responsibility to prove to the public that the House is a den of systemic corruption. As colleagues, I have bound with many of you and built a life-long friendship.

    “I have some of you that I hold in high esteem. If you end up at the receiving end of the actions I will be taking up in the next few days, I want you to know there is nothing personal but commitment and fervent desire to ensure that corruption is wiped out of the House and reforms that will restore the battered image of the House and take back the House to the Nigerian people is implemented.

    “Consequent upon the above and before I proceed with the aggressive steps I intend to take, I hereby demand that if you have illegally taken or stolen any money meant for the running cost of your offices for your entire stay in the House.

    “You should return the money within one week to the Clerk of the National Assembly. And for the purpose of clarity. I am referring to about N10 million you collect from tax payers monthly.

    “The Clerk will provide you with official accounts details, failure of which I will take necessary action to ensure that you return any money stolen and stand witness against you in case of prosecution.

    “I have written to the Clerk of the National Assembly to stand by in anticipation. In the face of the revenue challenges and biting hardship the country is currently facing, there is no better time the country needs such money than now.

    “In the case of the Presiding and Principal Officers, in addition to my demand in this letter which applies to them too, I have written them yesterday and gave them 72 hours ultimatum to make public the total amount they have received as running cost in their entire stay in the House, failure of which I will proceed with necessary legal action to compel them to make the total amount each of them have received public.

    “There are other issues of monumental corruption in the House that I will be raising in the following weeks which we must all deal with, but first let’s get done with this one.”

    Jibrin was suspended for 180 legislative days over alleged misconduct and breach of the privileges of the members of the House.

    His office was consequently sealed Thursday by National Assembly security agents.

  • Church praises anti-corruption crusade

    The Anglican Diocese of Ido-Ani in Ondo State has applauded efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling corruption in the country.

    The church noted that the federal government means well in fulfilling positive changes but is being hampered by dwindling revenues.

    These were contained in a communiqué at the end of the 1st session of the 3rd Synod of the Diocese at the Cathedral Church of the Holy trinity, Ido-Ani, Ondo State

    The communiqué read by the Diocesan, Rt. Rev. BolarindeDahunsi (JP) hailed the federal government on its fights against terrorism, especially the Boko Haram insurgency.

    It however pleaded with the pro-Biafran and the Niger-Delta Avengers to give room for a meaningful dialogue to avert shedding of blood and destruction of properties.

    On incoming governorship election in the state, the synod urged the citizenry to shun violence, gratification and inducements.

    It urged them to ensure a credible candidate is elected to assist in developing the state.

    The communiqué flayed the persistent neglect of the Irekari area of the states by all levels of government in terms of provision of social amenities.

    It appealed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko to assist the community in restoration of power to the whole Diocese that has remained in darkness for almost two years.

    The Synod also appealed to Minister of Works, Housing and Power Babatunde Fashola to rehabilitate the Isua-Idoani-Ipele federal road that has been in deplorable conditions for many decades.

    According to the communiqué, if the road is put in good condition, it would reduce the carnages along Oka-akoko road, while also opening the Diocesan area up for economic activities.

    In his sermon at the post-synod thanksgiving service, the Dean, Cathedral Church of Emmanuel, Ado-Ekiti, Very Rev Olanrewaju Bankole enjoined all Christians to do the will of God to make heaven.

    Dahunsi thanked Justice and (Mrs.) AdetulaAlabi for hosting the synod and contributing regularly to the development of the Diocese.

     

  • ‘Anti-corruption crusade’ll boost foreign investment’

    ‘Anti-corruption crusade’ll boost foreign investment’

    Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Director-General Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo has said the anti-corruption crusade will reduce criminality and encourage foreign investments.

    She said the crusade would boost the  economy and create wealth.

    Mrs Uwechue-Mbanefo spoke while receiving a delegation of traditional rulers from the Southeast in Abuja.

    She stressed that the wealth of culture in Nigeria must be encouraged and preserved.

    The monarchs were at NTDC to seek collaboration for this year’s Iri ji ndi igbo (national New Yam Festival) holding at Igbo–Ukwu, Anambra State, from August 23 to 27.

    The leader of the delegation, Igwe C.N. Nwajagu of Umumeochi Local Government Area, Abia State, said: ‘’We sincerely appreciate President Buhari for keeping our daughter, Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo, whose contributions to the development and promotion of tourism in Nigeria are immense.’’

    Other members of the delegation were Igwe Akpugoeze, Oji River Local Government Area, Enugu State; Eze Mmadu Wwoha; Igwe Mbano Agwe, Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State; Igwe Sylvanus Ibe, and Eze Ndi Igbo, Suleja,   Eze C.C. Okoli; Eze Ndi Igbo, Abuja, Eze J.B.C. Nwoha  and National Chairman, Mbilo Igbo Association, Mazi Okafouzu Ugochukwu.

    Igwe Nwajagu said: “Sally has been dutiful in her responsibility to promote and showcase all the tourism and cultural potentials in the country, which made us proud as a great nation because our strength lies mainly and squarely in our cultural diversity. The unity of this great country cannot be achieved if this parastatal fails.

    “Therefore, like the prophet from the South and as the custodian of the cultures of the Igbo people of Nigeria, we hereby make a declaration that the only remedy for the ills of the country lies mainly in this parastatal. Not funding it well means joking with the growth and unity of the country. This parastatal holds our peace, stability and base as a nation.”

    This year’s festival will have Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo as chairman,  while Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed is distinguished guest.

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State is special guest. The festival will also have the chief executive officers of culture parastatals as guests of honour while Anambra State Commissioner Diaspora Affairs, Culture and Tourism Mrs Stella Onuora is chief host.

    Activities for the festival include an inter-denominational service, art exhibition, lecture, masqueraders’performances, wrestling competition, cultural dances and awards.

  • Adebule to Nigerians: join anti-corruption crusade

    Adebule to Nigerians: join anti-corruption crusade

    •Ambode’s wife: ‘Nigeria will be better’

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule, the governor’s wife, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, and Iyalode of Lagos, Hajia Bintu-Fatima Tinubu yesterday urged Nigerians to join President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s anti-corruption crusade.

    The trio said corruption must be fought for the nation to progress.

    They spoke at the 2016 Prayer for the Nation organised by the Hajia Tinubu-led Fatimah Charity Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

    Mrs Adebule urged market men and women to shun corrupt practices.

    “If you are reducing measurement to make more profit, that is corruption. If you short-change your customers under whatever guise, that is corruption. So, we shouldn’t focus on politicians and people in government alone and castigate them, let’s look inward and correct our sharp practices to collectively erase the scourge in our society,” she said.

    The deputy governor represented by an ex-banker, Alhaja Fatimat Oyefeso, said nation deserves the leadership she gets, urging parents to nurture their children to be good leaders.

    Mrs Ambode identified prayer as the key to solving the country’s challenges.

    She said an anti-corruption leadership in Nigeria as it is now, would restore the country’s dignity, fix infrastructure, create employment and make life better for all.

    Praising the Fatimah Charity Foundation for its commitment to championing national rebirth, Mrs Ambode urged Nigerians, to see beyond the current socio-economic challenges and be hopeful of a glorious future.

    Hajia Tinubu urged the citizenery not to despair despite challenges, stressing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

    “We are very much aware of the challenges facing our nation today, but remarkably, as a people, we are resolute never to give up. It is inspiring that amidst difficulties and growing anxiety over its future, we have refused not to succumb to despair because there is light at the end of the tunnel,” she said

    The Iyalode of Lagos urged the gathering to play their part in rebuiding Nigeria.

    “We need to realise that leadership starts with each and every one of us. We must make a concerted effort in trying to rebuild our broken down value systems, re-establish and clearly define our moral obligations to our families and the nation,” she said.

    Speaking on the topic, “The Benefits of Anti-corruption Leadership in Nigeria”, Lagos State commissioner for Home Affairs and guest speaker Dr Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef enjoined the three arms of government and the public, to participate in the crusade against corruption.

    He listed leadership by example, good parenthood, proper child up-bringing, and recognising religious leaders as development leaders, as necessary steps towards ending corruption.

     

  • Group joins Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    Group joins Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

    The Police Assistance Committee of Nigeria (PAC) has aligned itself with the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government by initiating an intense nationwide grassroots awareness programme that will take the message to all and sundry.

    The organisation is coming up with nationwide seminars and workshop which will hold in the six geopolitical zones of the country and draw participation amongst critical stakeholders comprising PAC members who are mainly tradesmen/artisans, all arms of government at Federal, states and local government levels, the armed forces, all security agencies including para-military establishments as well as the general public.

    Speaking on the seminars/workshops with the theme: “Confronting the menace of corruption through intense grassroots information dissemination and awareness campaign: The PAC Approach”, the Director-General of PAC, Dr. Martins John-Oni, said the programme was designed to drum up support for the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government which is the cardinal programme of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    The PAC boss stated that the idea was to take the anti-corruption message to the down-trodden and the entire populace through information dissemination, and therefore urged all tiers of government and every major stakeholder to fully support the programme.

  • Agenda for Buhari anti-corruption crusade

    SIR: When the last admini-stration of President Goodluck Jonathan came up with the economic jargon of rebasement which catapulted the Nigerian economy to the leading economy in Africa, we forgot to ask if corruption was also factored in as an economic index before they arrived at the alarming statistics that overnight changed the course of our economic prosperity.

    In the estimation of Nigerians, the Jonathan government was very guilty of corruption and the statement by the erstwhile president that his administration did not believe that jailing people would end corruption did not also help matters.

    Since the establishment of anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria during the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the issue of corruption and the fight against it has become the scorecard upon which Nigerians determine the performance of each administration.

    Although the Obasanjo government created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the use of the agency to witch-hunt enemies of that administration did a lot of damage to the anti-corruption agency as it was widely seen as an attack dog of the president.

    In the administration of President Jonathan, the fact that the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) could not make any significant prosecution of corrupt public officials gave the agencies away that they were toothless bulldogs.

    It was even speculated in different quarters that the decapitation of the anti-corruption agencies under the immediate past administration was deliberate, in order to provide some cover for senior government officials and friends of government who had compromised on the economy of the country.

    For far too long, Nigeria had been under the griping claws of corruption and, consequently, the prevailing political situation in the country had constituted an unpleasant jam jar and reached a proportion that Nigerians were beginning to lose hope in the country’s political leadership.

    Corruption has long been the bane of socio-economic cum infrastructural development in Nigeria. It can also be rightly said that corruption is so pervasive in Nigeria because of a culture of poor wages, absence of effective policy that softens the effect of poverty, weak government institutions and absence of key anti-corruption legislations.

    However, the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari needs to understand that modern corruption has gone scientific, requiring scientific and institutional approaches in curbing it; there are many angles or dimensions to corruption. There are “political or government corruption”, “electoral corruption”, “legislated corruption”, “economic or financial corruption” and “civil corruption”.

    In all, it is shocking and alarming that those shouting “anti corruption” in Nigeria’s public offices as presently constituted are either do not understand its fundamental meaning or have chosen to use it  to deceive and mislead Nigerians for the  purpose of achieving cheap popularity and obtaining mechanical legitimacy.

    Freedom from corruption or fight against corruption connotes impeccability of character, sound morality and cleanest mindset. It is therefore important that the Buhari government should avoid corrupting its anti-corruption agencies and go to equity with clean hands. That is to say that President Muhammadu Buhari must live by firm example by not only being clean, but also seen to be clean.

    It is no doubt cheering news that the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has launched a renewed campaign against corruption.

    It is also cheering news that, there appears to be a kind of attitudinal reset in every government institution on the seriousness of the anti-corruption crusade.

     

    • Nuradeen Ishiaku,

    Abuja.

  • Ambode urges ICAN on anti-corruption crusade

    Ambode urges ICAN on anti-corruption crusade

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to support the anti-corruption and re-orientation efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He spoke yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 45th Annual Conference of the ICAN, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

    Ambode said the pivotal role played by accountants in the day-to-day running of government means that they must be above board in discharging their duties.

    He said: “I once heard someone say that only accountants can save the world – through peace, goodwill and reconciliations. That tells me that the people who can save Nigeria are in this hall today. We must kick-start that process now by developing mechanisms that will make it compelling for members of the Institute to exhibit a high level of integrity wherever we find ourselves.”

    According to him, as custodians and managers of financial resources, accountants must be above board and resist the temptation to compromise professional ethics and personal integrity.

    The governor enjoined accountants to begin the process of raising the bar of integrity through a pragmatic rebuilding of the nation’s value system, to redefine the vision of the profession.

    He recalled that since the establishment of ICAN in 1965, the Institute had lived up to the expectations and dreams of the founding fathers, which berthed world-class chartered accountants offering quality services at the top echelon of both the public and private sectors. “

     

     

  • Anti-corruption war: APC Scandinavia supports Buhari

    Anti-corruption war: APC Scandinavia supports Buhari

    Lawal in a press release opined that it is inappropriate for anyone to say that the President’s efforts to address corruption in the Nigerian society, especially among government officials, is a waste of time.
    According to him, “In their perspective, the anti-corruption crusade is a waste of time and probing of the past administration is not a substitute for good governance.
    “If the so-called waste of time will bring sanity, discipline and recover our looted wealth and the perpetrators brought to book, the said time wasting will be one of the greatest dividends of democracy for Nigerians.”
    “Why no decry when the wicked and shameless crooks were bastardising our economy and turning Nigeria to a failed state.
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