President Buhari on Tuesday called corruption, a violation of human as he sought the cooperation of Nigerian Accountants to help rid the country of the monster.
He was speaking at the ongoing 49th Annual conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) which focused on ‘Building Nigeria for sustainable Growth and Development’ and hosting over 5,000 delegates in Abuja.
“I urge you now to always see corruption in its true color as a gross violation of human right,” the President who was represented at the event by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation said.
He said Corruption is the country’s greatest enemy will certainly fight back, “but we must continue to fight to effect a change to our value system.
“For the majority of our people, the millions that are in hardship, the sick, the helpless, corruption is the major reason why they cannot go to school, Why we have few equipment and doctors in our hospital. Corruption diverts public resources thereby causes much suffering, deprivation and unnecessary death in the country,” according to him.
He said viewed this way, people can begin to appreciate the gravity of the destructive nature of corruption “This should provoke us to fight it with the same zeal and doggedness we deeply deploy in the difference of fundamental human rights,” he further urged, noting, “If we do not slay corruption with the passion it deserves, we will not get the result that we need.”
He noted that government’s fight against corruption is in reality a struggle for nation building and the future.
“Corruption and impunity becomes widespread when accountability is disregarded. Disrespect for accountability also strives when people get away with all manner of questionable things and accountants are unable to check them,” he stressed while commending ICAN accountability index as another great initiative to support the government to reed our country of corruption.
“I have no doubt that if this initiative of ICAN continues, it will greatly assist government at all levels to be more transparent and accountable to the people of this great nation.”
The president also pointed out that his government is deeply worried with the state of infrastructure in the country and has taken bold steps to address some of the infrastructure gaps through our massive investments in roads and rails which are at different levels of completion.
He recalled that in order to achieve rapid realization of the need to fill the gap in infrastructure, government has signed the Executive Order 407 of 2019 on road infrastructure development and rehabilitation investment tax credit scheme.
He added that the motivation for the scheme derives from the desire to take advantage of private sector funding for road development in the country.
“I therefore count on the support of professional bodies like ICAN in the area of resource management.
- O. Lumumba, an Associate Professor of Public Law in Kenya, in his speech called “Corruption a crime against humanity.”
But he regretted that enough is not being done even by the people who he expects should rise against bad leadership.
‘If we think that the international community will solve our problems, then we have shown that we are incapable of solving them.
“Sometimes, I think Nigerians and many Africans are not fed up. Because the day we are fed up, things will begin to change.
“But as long as we celebrate thieves, as long as we celebrate money no matter how they are got, we won’t get anywhere.”
Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who urged the accountants to be more committed to government’s anti-corruption drive, said he enjoys the full support of the Presidency and independence- a comment which stirred laughter from the audience, obviously in disagreement.
Magu chaired one of the plenary sessions titled, ‘strengthening institutional framework to support anti-corruption drive’.
Asked why some high profile politicians who are being investigated/prosecuted by same EFCC are currently serving members of Buhari’s government, Magu rather stressed, “We are created to fight corruption. The biggest conviction we have is on two governors that have been convicted. You know their political affiliation and we don’t stop cases.
“In fact, in EFCC, it is better not to start because once we start, we must get concluded. It’s not true (blocking of cases of ruling party members). We don’t block cases,”
ICAN President, Nnamdi Okwuadigbo in his opening remarks sai8 the level of inequality in both developed and developing economies is of great concern and constitute huge threat to the global community. He urged Accountants to always be at the fore front of fighting corruption.
Onyinye Nwachukwu, Abuja
