IMC: Participants Lament Menace Of Corruption In Nigeria, Proffer Solutions

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA- The participants at a one Day seminar on accountability and Anti corruption through behavourial change approach in Kaduna have lamented the rate of corruption in Nigeria, while calling for hands to be on deck to mitigate the ‘moral pandemic’

The workshop/ project which held on Friday, in Kaduna, organized by the Interfaith Mediation centre, (IMC) incollaboration with Mambaya House Aminu Kano chapter for Democratic studies, Bayero university, Kano, is funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

Speaking a political Analyst and scribe of Kawo Development Association, Mr Chidi Madu Jnr, while appreciating the organizers for bringing Muslims and Christians together to see how corruption can be mitigated in Nigeria, said ” if you look today, corruption is a hydra-headed cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our country,

” virtually, everything we lack in this country is a result of corruption, including the insecurity that we are having today, lack of quality education, infrastructure and lack of employment for our teeming youths”

According to him, this is ” because our so-called leaders have stolen our National treasury that they are supposed to use and create jobs for our teeming youths, so it’s high time Nigerians rally together, put all hands on deck to make us curb this monster called Corruption in our country ” he stressed

Similarly, a Lecturer with the Nigerian Defence Academy, (NDA) Dr Nasiru Abdullahi, said what we need is the sincerity of purpose ” everybody has to be sincere to himself; you don’t acquire what you don’t need and acquire something through legal means. He stressed the need to ” work for a living, don’t sit down and be lazy and then you want to earn a living, that’s corruption, God is angry with that “he pointed out

While reiterating the need to strive for a living through hardwork, diligent, while seeking knowledge, warned that one should not try to live the life of others, ” because we are not equal and we should stop using the word lucky,

” because when people are employed in certain agencies and they loot and people will continue to hail them and say they are lucky, there’s nothing like that, it’s corruption, its eating public funds, which is not allowed in any religion ” he averred

Speaking onhehalf of his colleagues, the Councillor representing Kakuri- Gwari of Kaduna south local Govt, Hon Samaila Isa, believed alot has been learnt in the one Day workshop on corruption but insisted that the fight has to ” start with me before the other person, adding that, we have to attach prayer first and secondly, we need to meet our members, religious and community leaders to get the message across”

According to him, as a politician ” I think, i can start the awareness and sensitization with my colleagues at the local government, from the Chairman, vice chairman and the rest of the other offices” He noted that if the contributions by participants are implemented ” we’ll achieve our goal on the anti- corruption war” he stressed

On his part, a Cleric, from the Royal Tabanacle, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, Rev. Samuel Ebitone,while describing the workshop on corruption as laudable said if taken seriously, most if the problems we are faced with in our society will be reduced adding that we should call the problem the proper name ” they people that are doing it are thieves, so let’s call them as such not just called it Corruption; so that it can stop”

He also urged government to be accountable and deal with those found wanting ” let’s handle them, if they can handle one to three of them, I tell you our problems will reduced, but if nothing is done, any body can do anything he or she wants and get away with it and that will not be helping us as a nation” he said

In the same vein, the Village Head of Tudun wada, Kaduna, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim, said Corruption is indeed a sensitive issue that needs sensitive action by all stakeholders, Adding that because corruption lives with us, the fight against it” starts with us the leaders at all levels” especially the problem of bribing and corruption, and we can Change this also from the family, because the menace is all encompassing” he maintained

Lending her voice, a Women leader, from Kurmin Gwari, Mrs Comfort Livinus, said the campaign on behavioral change on corruption has to start with the family, beginning from the husband to the wife and then the children, before the community to the larger society

” I have have learnt alot from this program and the major thing is that there’s no way we can tackle corruption without tackling ourselves by ourselves ” while praying that we put the campaign and awareness into practice in the new year 2022, so that the Change begins with us” she stressed