FG Moves to Strengthen Fight against Corruption

• Adopts five-year National Anti-corruption Strategy

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The federal government thursday commenced a move to strengthen the fight against corruption in the country with the adoption  and validation of the harmonised National Anti-corruption Strategy (NACS).

The document, which is a five-year strategic plan aims at presenting a common and united platform for all stakeholders in the fight against corruption.

According to the Attorney General of the Federal and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the five-year plan involves prevention of corruption, public engagement, campaign for ethical reorientation, enforcement and sanctions and recovery of proceeds of corruption.

 Malami, who was speaking at the adoption/validation meeting on the Harmonisation of the National Anti-corruption Strategy in Abuja, yesterday noted that the five-year plan would serve as the driving force across board in both private and public sectors.

He expressed optimism that the strategy would be viewed by the international community as Nigeria’s supportable and sustainable effort in taking concrete steps in creating a sustainable policy framework to tackle corruption head on in all ramifications.

 Represented by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun, the AGF  canvassed the unconditional support and cooperation of all well meaning Nigerians and the international community in ensuring that the draft of the strategy was validated and adopted to achieve the vision of a Nigeria free of corruption for sustainable human development.

 He said the collective actions of participants would assure Nigerians and the whole world that the present administration is committed to its mandate of tackling the menace of corruption beyond political rhetoric.

“It is pertinent to reiterate that one of the cardinal objectives of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is to fight corruption in all its ramified manifestations including the adoption of effective preventive measures against corruption, recovery, of stolen assets and putting mechanisms, systems and processes in place to profitably manage stolen and recovered assets.

 “This five-year strategy will provide a framework to improve the anti-corruption regime in Nigeria by focusing on key areas of policy improvement, institution strengthening and technical support in the public and private sectors as well as society as a whole.”

Also speaking at the occasion, Prof. Femi Odekunle, a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), said the Muhammadu Buhari administration could be credited with definitive achievements from direct and consequential efforts in the fight against corruption unlike previously insincere or half-hearted alleged fights against corruption.

Odekunle said with the renewed efforts the fight against corruption would be fully institutionalised by the present government in the best interest of Nigerians.

“It should suffice to state that, besides other indices, the fact that some of our elites who love and worship money are now dumping loads of cash in odd places and denying their ownership is proof-positive that the efforts in the fight against corruption is yielding efforts.

The solicitor-general disclosed that in spite of the successes recorded by the Buhari administration  in the fight against corruption, “There were still many rivers to cross, indentifiable gaps for closure and emergent hiccups for attention.”