IT has been lamented that despite the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari led APC Federal administration to combat corruption in the country, the campaign has remained largely a Federal affair with little or no commitment to action by state Governors.
The lamentation was expressed by the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, an international Non-Governmental Organisation, Benson Olugbuo during a workshop organised at Chartwell Hotel in Bauchi in partnership with the Prison Inmates Development of Nigeria (PIDI) to adopt the federal government’s whistle blower policy in Bauchi State.
He explained that although states are important in the Nigeria socio-economic structures, Governors are not doing much to fight corruption.
Represented by the Assistant Programme Manager of CLEEN Foundation, Oluwale Ojuwale, Benson Olugbuo explained that the workshop engaged government institutions, civil society organisations, the media and other relevant stakeholders in Bauchi State to advance the adoption and implementation of whistleblower policy in the State.
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In his words: “States of the federation control over 47 per cents (inclusive of local government shares) of the Federal Generated Revenue, apart from IGR. Their governance structures are weak, State Assemblies are controlled by Governors, anti-corruption mechanism are absent, and ridden with the absence of open contracting.”
Benson Olugbuo further lamented that “This year (2018) alone, states plan to spend about N10 trillion. As a coalition of civil society and concerned citizens, we have the responsibilities to ensure that all these monies are judiciously utilized to improve the welfare of our people.”
He added that “We are persuaded that a person, an arm of a tier of government cannot fight corruption alone. The engagement must be inclusive and the citizens must be consciously mainstreamed into the process.”
He also said that Bauchi State presents a good platform to promote anti-corruption engagements given the good will from state governments as expressed in its readiness and openness to support such laudable efforts for an open government.
Benson Olugbuo said further that corruption drains Nigeria of billions of dollars from the country’s economy and is the greatest obstacle preventing the country from achieving its economic potentials and weakens social contract between government and the people.
He then stated that as a Civil Society Organisation in support of anti-corruption engagements, CLEEN will continue to collaborate with state governments in making public resources work for the people.
“This is with a view to promoting cross-fertilisation of ideas and inclusive action plan aimed at addressing all forms of corruption, and to engender accountability, and transparency in the state institutions and governance processes,” he stated.
He then assured that “Through this sustained efforts across Nigeria, citizens’ engagement, demand for transparency, accountability, and cross-fertilisation of ideas to check corrupt practices within government and its institutions will be greatly enhanced.”
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