From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Northern group under the auspices of Arewa Initiative for Good Governance (AIGG) has showered praises on President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) over recent prompt suspension and arrest of the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, for alleged money laundry running into over N30 billion in the ministry of humanitarian affairs.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the AIGG Convener, Salisu Tanko Wusono noted that the ugly
development has brought to fore the endemic issues of corruption by highly placed public officers entrusted with public funds.
Wusono also noted that the arrest of NSIPA boss clearly underlined the regrettable culture of fiscal impunity and recklessness that has characterised public life and at all levels of governance.
To this end, the Arewa group leader expressed satisfaction over the determination of the President Tinubu’s administration to fight against corruption.
He added that the fight was noteworthy and commendable and enjoined all patriotic Nigerians to support the government agenda in fighting corruption to a standstill in the country.
“Unfolding events regarding corruption in the country and the recent suspension and investigation of Hajia Halima Shehu prompted our reactions and our quest to continue to seek and enthrone credible leadership for Nigerians, while working to promote accountability in the process.
“Few days ago, the apex anti-graft agency in Nigeria,the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, arrested Halima Shehu,the CEO of the National Social Investment Program Agency, for interrogation,on allegations of money laundering that ran into several billions of Naira.Prior to the incident, President Tinubu had ordered her suspension and subsequent investigation.Recall that she was appointed in to the office few months back.
“This development,no doubt brings to fore the endemic issues of corruption,by highly placed public officers entrusted with public funds and also clearly underline the regrettable culture of fiscal impunity and recklessness that had come to characterized our public life and at all levels of governance.
“Today, and regrettably so, the multidimensional challenges facing the country, particularly the issues of insecurity, poverty, illiteracy and underdevelopment are tangentially induced by the chronic culture of value debasement and corruption that permeate our national life.
“Hence, the determination of the President Tinubu’s administration to fight against corruption is noteworthy and commendable and we thus enjoin all patriotic Nigerians to support it’s agenda.
“The nation has continued to grapple with high level of insecurity that persistently manifested as banditry, kidnapping for ransom, farmers-herders conflicts and the rise of ethnic militia that had continued to threaten the corporate existence of our dear nation; this threat to national security cannot be divorced from the negative impact of corruption in electoral process and ability to ensure and assure good governance through effective representation and credible leadership.
“As the nation continue to be inundated with multidimensional challenges, the high incidence of corruption had gone further to undermine our collective quest to ameliorate the challenges and in the process help drive in the much needed foreign investment that will boost our economy.
“We condemned the increasing value debasement of our society and quest for mundane materialism and gluttonous crave for ill gotten wealth at the expense of credible service delivery and national development
“We strongly condemned the increasing culture of corruption had fiscal impunity at all levels of governance or sector of economy where it is noticeable
“In line with this aspirations,we call on all the anti-graft agency in Nigeria, particularly the EFCC, to further up it’s game in tracing, tracking and arresting anyone who pilfered our collective patrimony,or any other forms of corruption.
“We also urge the body to discharge her duties clinically and professionally,such that it will earn the trust and support of all Nigerians. We call on all Nigerians to continue to work towards nipping the culture of corruption in our society.
“We condemned the increasing abuse of public trust by some public officers who swore to an oath to be accountable and responsive to the people and the nation.
“We commend the renew vigour and responsiveness of the EFCC to it’s statutory responsibility to promoting good governance through probity and accountability and urge it to continue to live up to it’s responsibility,in view of the challenges of the present day.
“We commend President Bola Tinubu’s administration determination to fight against corruption, insecurity and the multidimensional challenges facing the country and urge that Nigerians support it so as to make a clear difference that will translate to good governance and better life for the people of our dear nation
“We call on all public officers to continue to serve with integrity, probity that will foster economic prosperity and overall national development. We call on the federal government to urgently set up a special Court that will be responsible for the speedy trial of corruption related cases.
“We call on federal government to put in place policy that will boost the anti-graft campaigns, mitigate money laundering and improve our financial auditing system.
“We call on the media, the civil society group and all Nigerians to be a credible and patriotic partner of progress as we work to help drive home ethical revolution that will ultimately kill corruption and ensure good governance in Nigeria,” Wusono said.