By Philip Yatai
Transparency International categorised Nigeria as the 136th among Corruption Perception Index in 2015 out of 168 countries it investigated.
Analysts note that the rating calls for urgent need to deploy all necessary measures to stem the tide of corruption in the country by making public institutions more accountable and transparent.
They observe the time to do that is now when the country has an administration that is interested in the fight against corruption.
They observed that the current trials of highly placed suspected corrupt public officials in various courts of law have given credence to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration doggedness in the war against corruption.
They, nonetheless, call on Nigerians to view the anti-graft war as a national crusade and join the war to effectively wipe out corruption.
At a recent Town Hall Meeting in Kaduna to engender citizen participation in the anti-graft war, stakeholders also admitted that the current anti-corruption war would achieve little unless without the support of the public.
Organised by Cleen Foundation, a non-governmental organsation, the meeting noted that Nigerians’ support remained cardinal spectators to the success of anti-graft war.
Mr Oluwole Ojewale, Senior Programme Officer, Research and Strategy Development of the foundation, advised that the war should also be extended to the states and local government authorities.
According to him, corruption thrives in the operation of joint account between states and local government councils.
He noted further that lack of transparency in procurement and award of contracts aided corruption at the state and local government levels.
“Lack of monitoring in budgeting process and implementation, absence of data due to poor record keeping culture in ministries, departments and agencies are also strong factors that have aided corruption at the lower levels of governments.
“Thus citizens’ engagement becomes pivotal for an open and transparent system of governance,’’ the official said.
He, therefore, said that citizens must be enlightened and encouraged to claim a space in the fight against corruption at the states and local governments by demanding accountability.
He explained that the town hall meeting was organised to build the capacity of community members and key stakeholders at the state and local government levels to fully participate in the anti-graft war.
“Such meeting provides a platform for information sharing on the negative effects of corruption on the nation’s socio-economic and political space and the necessary steps that must be adopted to win the war.
“Similar meeting would be held in Rivers, Benue and Lagos State to make Nigerians more aware of corruption and its negative effects,’’ Ojewale said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Mrs Mary Cole of the Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, noted that the fight against corruption required the collective determination of the citizenry.
He said that the failure of many governments to draw the community, civil society and the private sector actively into anti-corruption campaigns was among other factors responsible for the failures of national initiatives to tackle corruption.
According to her, citizens engagement will empower local voices, increase institutional responsiveness, built a new democratic space for citizens engagement ensure better budget utilisation and service delivery.
In his view, Mr Olusegun Adigun, the North West Zonal Coordinator of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, attributed the impediment on the fight against corruption to lack of support by Nigerians.
He said that Nigerians must view the ongoing fight against corruption as a national war that must be supported by all to succeed.
He attributed the impediment to the fight against corruption to lack of will and commitment by Nigerians.
Adigun observed that Nigerians had yet to see the fight against corruption as a national issue, adding that until it is seen as such, not much would be achieved.
“People are expected to report corrupt cases to prosecuting agencies to investigate and brought corrupt persons top book, but we don’t get much from the public.
“They only report cases that affect them directly, but if it does not affect them, they pay a blind eye and keep mute.
“People do not write petitions on corrupt issues, they are not ready to volunteer information and are not ready to testify. How do we win the war with this kind of attitude?’’, he said.
Adigun also frowned at complaints by some Nigerians that the current administration’s fight against corruption was politically motivated and selective.
“The question we should ask is whether or not the people facing trials for corrupt cases actually committed the crime they were held for; corruption is corruption and it must be dealt with,’’ he noted.
However, the Kaduna Branch Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Sherif Ndasule, said that government must provide adequate machinery to strengthen justice delivery system to ensure maximum result in the war against corruption.
He observed that the trials of highly placed politicians and public office holders had changed the perception of Nigerians that Nigerian law only applied to low class citizens.
He called on the public to support the government in the fight to project better future for the country.
He also called on government to consider establishing a special crime court to handle cases of corruption and other related crimes.
According to him, such step will go a long way in ensuring speedy trial of corrupt cases and squarely tackle corruption.
Describing corruption as endemic, he solicited the review of the appropriate law to include compulsory forfeiture of illicit wealth of convicted corrupt persons.
“The government must improve the capacity of our various law enforcement agencies in the area of investigation of corrupt cases.
“On our part, the association is committed to the war against corruption it will ensure that lawyers adhere to the code of ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties,’’ he added.
All in all, participants at the meeting insist that the citizenry and civil society organisations must work closely with anti-graft agencies to ensure the success of anti-corruption war.(NANFeatures)