The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has
urged the global anti-corruption body Transparency International (TI)
to support, rather than condemn, the Buhari Administration’s fight
against corruption.
”Nigeria has never had a more transparent, more accountable
government than the Buhari Administration,” the Minister said when he
received a TI delegation, led by the Chair of the body’s International
Board, Delia Ferreira Rubio, in Abuja on Friday.
”As a policy, this government is the most committed to fighting
corruption. We need your support in the area of advocacy and capacity
building,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said TI and the local civil society organizations
affiliated to it have not offered the necessary support to the
Administration, adding: ”They look at the actions of an aberrant few
to condemn the government.”
He said when the government disclosed that just 55 people stole 1.34
trillion naira between 2006 and 2013, and when it published the list
of looters, in response to a challenge from the opposition, a section
of the civil society was busy parroting the cliche that the
allegations were one-sided, instead of supporting the government’s
action.
The Minister also tasked TI and its affiliates to show more
understanding for the sociological complexities of fighting corruption
in Nigeria, especially because it operates a federal system of
government under which the federal government has no control over the
actions of the federating states.
He said the Administration is not just fighting corruption with laws
and prosecution, but also with education and inclusiveness in
government, citing the government’s ‘Change Begins With Me’ programme
as an example of efforts being made to achieve attitudinal change
among the citizenry.
Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria is succeeding in its anti-corruption
fight because the fight is being led by a President whose integrity is
beyond reproach noting: ”Even his worst critics won’t say he indulges
in or encourages corruption.”
He said corrupt persons are using looted funds to mount a virulous
campaign against the administration, especially in the social media,
because they know that the re-election of the President will spell
doom for them.
For her part, the TI global chair said she decided to visit Nigeria,
her first-ever visit to Africa, because the country can set the tone
for the continent in the fight against corruption.
Ms Ferreira Rubio said TI’s mandate is to offer support through civil
society organizations and the private sector to foster the fight
against corruption.
She said while the government is doing a lot to fight corruption, it
should ensure more transparency and more efficiency in service
delivery.
”We are not an opposition anywhere in the world. We are just an NGO
working in over 100 countries of the world. We are not enemies. We are
here to help,” she said.
