The Socio Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC), on Monday urged Nigerians to act responsibly, hold leaders accountable and take collective action against corruption.
Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem, Executive Director of SERDEC, made the call at a news briefing in Lokoja after launching a campaign, tagged: “#CorruptionNotMyDNA” to mark the 2019 International Day of Anti-Corruption.
NAN reports that the campaign with kick started with a Rally, tagged: “Workout Corrupt Behaviour”, is aimed at mobilising citizens to frown against behaviours, practices, attitudes, social norms and values that promote corruption.
Abdulkareem said that the campaign was organised by SERDEC in partnership with African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
He called for collective action as part of global efforts to ensure united effort against corruption and galvanising effective citizen participation in the fight to curb corruption in our society.
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“Tackling corruption is a collective responsibility and citizens should take the lead.
“Corruption denies millions of people around the world the prosperity, rights, services and employment which they desperately need and deserve. When corruption prevails, development is threatened,” he said.
“Most times, we see corruption as act perpetuated only within the circle a government. No, we are all indicted when we refuse to be responsible and hold our leaders accountable.
”We are all affected when we promote favouritism, tribalism, religious bias, bribery and pressurise our kinsmen occupying public position with dishonest demands.
”This leads to looting of the perceived national cake and we are all victims of bad road, insecurity, poverty, unemployment, bad leadership an infrastructural deficit which are the outcomes of corrupt societies.
He, therefore, advised citizens to stay #UnitedAgainstCorruption, and change the narrative through change of behaviour that discouraged corruption. ”It is time to fight it with discipline, transparency, integrity and accountability.
SERDEC also urged government to mandate all schools in Nigeria to adopt anti-corruption code of conduct that would serve as a guiding tool for young people and regulate corrupt behaviours within the nation’s institutions.
”Fighting corruption is, therefore, not only an aim in itself but also the most effective way to ensure sustainable development and a better future.
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”Together, let’s neutralise the genetic code (DNA) of corruption in our society”.
Stakeholders at the meeting include: various NGOs, NOA, students, religious organisations, parents, media organisations, among others.
Pastor Ibitoye Jacob, CAN representative, lamented the recent rating of Kogi as the most corrupt state in Nigeria by National Bureau of Statistics, and urged the religious leaders to go back to the drawing board.
On his part Alhaji Isa Adeboye, a representative of Jama’a tu Nasril Islam (JNI), advised the youths to shun politics and find something tangible to do, stressing that “politics is not a career.“
A guest speaker, Mr. Olushola Babalola, presented a paper titled: “Promoting Behavioural Change in Addressing Corruption in Nigeria: Roles of Social Norms, Attitudes and Values”.
Babalola urged government to advance the use of anti-corruption agencies such as ICPC, EFCC to proactively investigate corrupt practices with appropriate sanctions. (NAN)
