President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said his administration will not relent in its efforts to eradicate corruption in the country.
He reiterated his position that if corruption is not eradicated, the menace will kill the country.
He explained that Nigeria needs “a corruption-free public sector to achieve transformation”.
Buhari spoke at the second national summit of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the inauguration of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy to mark the commission’s 20th anniversary and Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary.
The theme of the summit is “Together against corruption”.
The President said, “As a military Head of State, I fought corruption headlong and held public officers who abused their office or misused public funds to account.
Buhari expressed the belief that it is when the three arms and the three levels of government work together that the government will be enabled to serve the country while the positive impact of the efforts will be seen.
Buhari said Nigerians needed to deploy resources to address common needs rather than the greed of a callous few.
He added, “We need a corruption-free public sector to achieve this transformation, we need a judicial system that dispenses justice without undue delay and technicality.
The President reiterated the role of preventive measures and public education and enlightenment against corruption.
He said his administration, through the Open Treasury initiative, Treasury Single Account, Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, Bank Verification Number, and others, is implementing different corruption prevention measures to track and retain government revenue for the use of the people.
Buhari recognised and commended the winner of the anti-corruption music award Opeyemi Adeboye; winner of the Junior Secondary School competition, Chikezie Favour; winner of the Senior Secondary School competition, Matilda Daniels.
He also presented the 2020 Public Service Integrity Awards to Francis Erhabor, a Chief Superintendent of Police; and Hamza Buwai of Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
He described them as “two honest public servants who have demonstrated the will to look away from graft and corruption.”
