Umuahia- The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta, has called on Nigerians to be active participants in the fight against corruption.
Nta made the call in Umuahia on Tuesday during the International Day against Corruption organised by the commission in collaboration with the National Anti-corruption Volunteers Corps (NAVC).
Nta, who was represented by Mr Sakaba Ishaku, said it was important to state unequivocally that corruption contributed to the government instability and slow economic development.
“A possible virile way to fight corruption is an instrumental strategy that will strengthen anti-corruption by civil society groups,’’ he said.
According to him, it is necessary to promote the emergence of clean professionals that will use their positions in the society to establish integrity and expose corrupt personalities.
The Abia Coordinator of NAVC, Dr Blessed Amalambu, said that studies had revealed that corruption was the pivot on which every economic, social and political evil revolved.
Amalambu said the state chapter of the body had been working to encourage Nigerians to refrain from indulging or supporting corrupt practices, especially in Abia.
“We are earnestly preparing to monitor the forth-coming elections and urge the people of Abia to support and cooperate with us so that we will achieve good results in Abia,” he said.
The Deputy State Coordinator of NAVC, Mr Mba Udensi, said that corruption was a consequence of wrong choice and weak institutional framework.
According to Udensi, there is need to re-establish government legitimacy and strengthen institutions charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption.
“It is necessary to make them more independent to be able to hit hard at corrupt personalities,” he said. (NAN)
