Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, yesterday, decried corruption in the country.
The duo expressed concern about the looming danger that corruption poses to the corporate existence and socioeconomic lives of citizens.
They spoke separately at the seventh convocation and 10th anniversary of Fountain University in Osogbo, the capital.
Aregbesola said: “I wonder if it is because of level of corruption that we are largely unproductive; because if not, the pace of corruption in the country would not have reared its ugly head as we are currently experiencing.
“We all forget the fundamentals that emphasised productivity as the basis of existence in the civilised society. A country that is based on unearned income can never fight corruption, just as lack of productivity and absence of innovation ýbring about socioeconomic backwardness.”
Advising Nigerians, particularly youths, to champion productivity and inculcate the spirit of hard work, Aregbesola said a nation can only progress if its economy is driven through productivity.
He added: “The array of our challenges requires serious work, productivity, critical thinking and innovation to overcome and succeed as a nation.
“If our country, in spite of its several years of independence, could still be spending billions of naira on importation of refined petroleum, food items and other household equipment, thus we must be productive.
“Every sector in this country requires productivity because it is unheard of that in spite our vast mineral resources and vast land, our productivity has been very low.
“We must promote knowledge-based education that would help to meet the present and future needs and as well transform our economy ýfor the betterment of all.
“Those who can think, innovate and seek means of finding solutions to challenges can never be poor, thus informing us on the needs to champion the course of productivity.”
Charging the graduating students to be solution providers, Aregbesola said: “You must study your environment, identify its problems and find solutions to them.
“You must take the present challenges confronting our nation as an opportunity to make a difference and must work hard as good ambassadors of this renowned university to transform your individual’s lives, your immediate society and our nation’s economy.”
In his convocation lecture, titled: The Damaging Effects of Corruption in a Growing Economy, Magu said the EFCC, in the last two years, had recovered over N738 billion illegally acquired by corrupt individuals.
Magu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, said the money stolen by just 55 people between 2006 and 2013 was well over N1.3 trillion.
The EFCC chief regretted that one-third of the money, using the World Bank rates and cost, could have built 635.15 kilometres of roads and 183 schools; educate 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at N25.24 million per child; built 20,062 units of two-bedroom houses across the country and do more.
He said: “Officers entrusted with the commonwealth saw that as an opportunity to enrich themselves to the detriment of the poor and impoverished masses.
“Public institutions were worse off, arising from the corruption that was endemic in the public service. Our public-owned educational institutions, hospitals, water boards, roads, mass transportation systems, among others, are in a sorry state because the funds voted for their construction, repairs, upgrade, or supplies are criminally misappropriated and diverted by dishonest government officials.
“Consequently, the poor state of our education, the tragic condition in our hospitals, the dilapidated roads, and absence of germ-free water flowing from our taps, are what we are reaping due to the corruption of the few that have found a place in the public service.
“Corruption showed its head even in the fight against Boko Haram; money meant for purchase of arms to fight the insurgents was misappropriated, misapplied and outright embezzled.
“In our effort to do what we have been established to do, we have been attacked, castigated, maligned and some of my colleagues have been killed in the line of duty. We face huge challenges because corruption fights back! The corrupt are not going to quit quietly without giving us a fight, they have the resources and the network to try and stop us doing our job.”
Fountain University’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Abdullateef Usman said the institution had been growing from strength to strength as it made giant strides in academic activities.
He said: “The journey to the top has just started and I want to urge you to remain focused and determined because one of the very important tools you have acquired from Fountain University is the fear of Allah and the analytical skill to identify and determine the right from the wrong direction.”ý
The ýChancellor, Sheik Ahmed Lemu as well as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, urged the graduating students to be worthy ambassadors of the university and Nigeria.
