The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, has warned that the nation’s economy may remain in comatose if the
Federal Government soft-pedals on fight against corruption, reports ITRealms.
He argued that the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government
to revive the nation's economy will not yield positive results unless the fight
against corruption is also intensified.
Speaking at the 2016 Annual Lecture of the Federal Radio
Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister said that is
why the government is tackling both issues simultaneously.
''And that's why the Federal Ministry of Information and
Culture launched a Sensitization Campaign Against Corruption on 18th January
2016...with a view to alerting Nigerians to the evils of corruption and
carrying them along in the efforts by the government to tackle the menace,'' he
said.
Alhaji Mohammed described as appropriate the topic of the
lecture, ''Fighting Corruption and Growing a Sustainable Nigerian Economy'',
saying it could not have come at a better time, ''as this Administration is
stepping up its anti-corruption fight while also seeking to bring the economy
out of recession and put it on the path of sustainable growth''.
''It is also noteworthy that the topic for this 2016 lecture
incorporates two of the three cardinal programmes of this Administration, which
are the fight against corruption and the revamping of the economy to create
jobs and provide wealth. The third priority, of course, is the fight against
insecurity,'' he said.
The Minister said there is a direct correlation between
corruption and economic growth, noting that corruption stifles economic growth
in many ways, including by discouraging foreign investment, reducing tax
revenue and preventing infrastructural development.
''In other words, in countries where you have a high level
of corruption, there is reduced economic growth and, of course, higher poverty
level. That's why the Berlin-based global civil society organization,
Transparency International, said corruption, especially public sector
corruption, is about so much more than missing money. It's about people's
lives.
''It is therefore not a surprise that the countries that
have consistently scored high marks in the Annual Corruption Perception Index
of Transparency International are also the countries that have also managed to
grow a sustainable economy,'' he said.
Alhaji Mohammed noted that, having recognised corruption as
the biggest threat to the economic and political development of any country,
the Federal Government will not relent in its efforts to tackle the menace of
corruption to a standstill.
''The Buhari Administration, since its inauguration, has
left no one in doubt regarding its commitment to ridding Nigeria of corruption,
as captured poignantly in President Buhari’s statement that if Nigeria does not
kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.
''We are very much aware that the fight against corruption
will not be easy. Fighting entrenched corruption can sometimes be a very lonely
road to travel in our part of the world, where a true community of genuine
corruption fighters are assailed from every side by unwary recruits of the
looters among us, in our communities, places of work and worship. We also know
that corruption is fighting back, fastly and furiously. But with uncommon
commitment and determination, we will win the war against corruption,'' he said.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!
