Follow Us on Google
Chukwudi Nweje
Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, has said that the fight against corruption and quest for good governance must start at the grassroots level.
He said the elite cannot lead the fight against the current system, which is tilted against the masses because they (the elite) are the beneficiaries and therefore cannot be trusted with the war.
Adeniran said this on Thursday, in Lagos, when he inaugurated the grassroots units of Good Governance, Accountability ad Transparency Project (C-GATE), an offshoot of CACOL.
He said: “As Nigerians, you must monitor public officials closely to make sure they discharge their responsibilities to the people. It is only when these officials are closely monitored and put on their feet that they will be accountable to the people.
“It is us, the masses that are suffering the impact of bad governance. The elite saying they are fighting corruption are not fighting corruption. They are fighting to keep their loot.”
He charged the masses to champion the fight for accountability, saying it is the key to good governance.
He further said: “We are campaigning for accountability because it is the base of good governance. The base of good governance is when the people are taken care of. Good governance starts from the sense of belonging the leaders give to the masses.’
He said the fight against corruption and enthronement of good governance should be driven by the grassroots because they suffer the impacts most.
“It is us that are suffering the impacts of bad governance that should lead the fight for good governance. The reason Lagos State is underdeveloped is because those we elected are not representing us. All the bad roads you see everywhere have been awarded for repairs and paid for at one time or the other. We must monitor these leaders to make sure that funds appropriated for us are used for us,” Adeniran said.
