Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosed, yesterday, that some federal agencies are still diverting government funds; carrying on as it were, before the All Progressives Congress (APC) won election in 2015.
The president said he is unfazed and that he intends to continue to pursue the anti-corruption fight should Nigerians renew his mandate for a second term.
He made the declaration at the swearing in of nine board members of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), chaired by Professor Bolaji Owasanoye.
Buhari reminded the ICPC members and government officials present at the swearing-in of “the damage that unbridled corruption has inflicted on our development aspirations. “Apart from deliberate and wanton looting of our national wealth and common patrimony, corruption has eroded our values and ethical foundation as a nation.
“Corruption has negatively affected our political, economic and social life. Those opposed to our fight against corruption berate us for our focus, determination and single mindedness.
“They pretend that they do not know what corruption is. But Nigerians know what corruption is. Ordinary people know what corruption is and they support our effort and determination to fight it.
“The abuse of public office for private gain represents corruption in its worst form. The circumvention of public policies and processes for competitive advantage and profit is another form of corruption.
“The abuse of public office for personal benefit even if no bribery occurs is also corruption. The diversion of state revenue or miss-application of budgeted funds falls into the same category.
“I am particularly delighted that the ICPC law under which you will operate is robust enough to assist government to sanitise the public sector of corruption in service delivery, public procurement, diversion of public revenue, deliberate misuse of public funds, and so on.
“As I have noted in recent times, despite our anti-corruption drive, some agencies of government still divert or refuse to fully account for revenue generated. Rather than obey constitutional provisions and extant rules and regulations, such agencies continue as if nothing has changed.
“We are determined to ensure that every agency of government account for public revenue generated or expended. I am looking forward to ICPC’s support both for enforcement of anti-corruption laws and submission of policy measures and directives to prevent revenue leakage and diversion.”
“As I have noted in recent times, despite our anti-corruption drive, some agencies of government still divert or refuse to fully account for revenue generated.
“Rather than obey constitutional provisions and extant rules and regulations, such agencies continue as if nothing has changed.
“We are determined to ensure that every agency of government account for public revenue generated or expended.
“I am looking forward to ICPC’s support both for enforcement of anti-corruption laws and submission of policy measures and directives to prevent revenue leakage and diversion.”
Buhari added that “the fight against corruption is very crucial in our national development. This is why I have often said–if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”
One of the board members is a 27-year-old lawyer, Hannatu Muhammad (Jigawa).
She is representing the youths, in line with the requirement of the Act setting up the Commission, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said, when he read her biography.