Funmi Lawrence
As Nigerians join the rest of the world to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has advocated for death penalty for corrupt officers in the country.
Obi was speaking in Abuja on Monday during a rally to mark the day with the theme ” United Against Corruption. My constituency, my project.
She said many who had looted the economy were moving freely in their houses and the parliament, an action she said must be revisited.
She called on public officers owing salaries to do the needful so as not to encourage people to get involved in the corrupt act.
According to her, the government should ask themselves how many hospitals and schools they have built. The hospitals they built for N50 million is what is serving 200 million population, with this how are we developing the human capital.
“We are standing here today because many women are dying in our hospitals due to the poor healthcare system, many young Nigerians are in the universities without allowances.
” We are standing here today because somebody is standing on their scholarship. Many years ago, our colonial masters gave the scholarship to build the human capital of Nigerians to better our lives but what is happening today.
” What is happening to our education? Our public schools have been rendered almost powerless. Many people have so many houses and why did you have so many houses when you will sleep on one bed in one night.
“We stand here to say that all those who are found guilty and charged for corruption should be brought to book.
“I want to advocate that those who are looting the economy and found guilty should be fined death sentence,” she said.
Obi, however, called on the Nigerian government to stand against corruption knowing fully well that President Muhammadu Buhari had made a pronouncement to fight the menace.
She, therefore, said that corruption should be fought from own internal processes while calling on those in government and indicted for corruption cases to step down from office.
Also, Mr Newton Otsamaye, Manager, Strengthening Citizens Resistance Against Prevalence of Corruption (SCRAP-C) project said there was a need for a concession to end corruption in the country.
” We are collaborating with civil society space, ICPC, NOA so that we can have a collective engagement to end corruption.
“As Nigerians, we are tired of living without water, hospitals, good roads and transparent government. We are here to join our voices with other members in the world to end corruption in our nation, churches, families, schools, parliament and executive.”
Otsamaye called on communities to report abandoned projects in their various constituencies to ICPC.
Also, Mrs Rasheeda Okoduwa, Director, Public Enlightenment, ICPC said corruption should be fought to standstill from the home before spreading to the society.
She emphasised the need for Nigerians to report corruption cases to ICPC to enable it to bring those involved to book saying there is no hiding place for corrupt officers.
Stakeholders such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and a host of other civil society organisations lend their voices with AAN to end corruption in our nation.
