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Welcome Address of the ICPC Chairman at the 2009 ICPC/NASS Conference in South West held in Akure, Ondo State
- Released by Hon Justice Emmanuel Ayoola on Thursday 16th June 2009 It is my great pleasure to welcome Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun A. Mimiko, Your Excellencies, Executive Governors of the States in the South West zone, Chairmen and Members of the National Assembly Committees on Anti-corruption, Honorable Speakers, Members and Clerks of States Houses of Assembly of the South-Western States, Commissioners, Heads of Service, NGOs, Professional bodies and Committees in Nigerian Legislatures and Heads of Anti-corruption Units in National Conference of Anti-Corruption Committees of the Nigerian legislatures and anti-corruption transparency and monitoring units of ministries, departments and agencies (ACTUs).
This national conference, which is the fourth in the series, is aimed at providing the much sought platform and collaboration between legislative committees on anti-corruption from the three tiers of government and the ICPC and between the legislative committees and transparency and monitoring units of ministries, departments and agencies on how best we can move the fight against corruption forward. The conference is the initiative of the ICPC in conjunction with the two anti-corruption committees of the National Assembly.
The theme of this Conference: "Building and Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Public and Private Sectors: A Collective Responsibility of All Nigerians ", was chosen to emphasize our belief that fighting corruption is not the sole responsibility of the ICPC or government alone, but the collective responsibility of every citizen of this great country. The fight against corruption can succeed only if Nigerians at all levels stop paying lip service to the fight against corruption, change their corrupt ways and embrace integrity, transparency and accountability as the only way forward to national honour and prosperity.
Efforts by previous government over the years at fighting corruption and indiscipline would have yielded positive results but for public apathy and widespread lack or integrity in society. It is, therefore, apathy and lack or integrity by members of the public that we must all join hands together to change to empathy, transparency and accountability to achieve a national transformation.
Corruption in our society has become such an unfortunate reality that any effort to eradicate corruption must be value-oriented, passion-driven and well funded. The days or platitude, rhetoric and grand standing about corruption would be truly over only if the will to fight corruption is more widespread among the people than at present. This is why we desire that this national conference does not end up as a mere talk show but must translate to a credible and durable platform of strategic importance not only for educating and enlightening the public but also for challenging all to 'walk the talk'. Participants at this conference are enjoined to use this conference as an opportunity to forge realistic and practical strategies, rather than theoretical approaches, to the fight against the scourge of corruption. These practical mechanisms should not revolve around the elite and policy makers alone, but should involve every citizen whether in the city or at the grassroots.
In order to guarantee the success of the fight against corruption, we in the ICPC have introduced and are vigorously pursuing many people-driven programmes which involve the participation of members of the public, NGOs, community-based organisations and the civil society groups. We are optimistic that if we talk less and act more, corruption will be eradicated sooner than we can imagine.
For instance, we have introduced the National Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps (NAVC) with the view to engaging every interested member of the Nigerian society actively as a foot soldier in the fight against corruption. We have established anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools; anti-corruption vanguards in tertiary institutions including the universities; anti-corruption community development groups among youth corps members; and the national corruption coalition which is a platform for the active engagement and genuine and meaningful participation of the civil society groups in the fight against corruption.
We are conscious of the fact that no matter how many anti-corruption initiatives may exist in a nation, no nation can fight corruption unless the leaders and the people see a vision of national greatness that is the fruit of a corrupt free society. Progress in our nation to that greatness is elusive today because such popular vision is lacking, and where leaders have such vision the followers refuse to key into it because of greed and selfishness.
It is my hope that the state Governors in the South West would take advantage of this programme to interact freely and candidly with members of the public on their achievements and strategies in the fight against corruption.
Our nation cannot be great unless each tier of Government aspires to greatness. State Governors are the most potent agent of change in our nation
I emphasize that both the Nigerian Legislature across the three tiers of government and the anti-corruption and transparency monitoring units (ACTUs) have vital roles to playas catalysts for the prevention or corruption. The committees on anti-corruption in the legislatures should not only complement the efforts or the Commission by pro-actively executing, their constitutional oversight functions over the Executive but should also serve as internal cleansing mechanism of the legislature. The ACTUs are designed to play the role or a watch dog in ministries, departments and agencies. We shall ensure that they are not hampered in that role.
We expect that together all of us whether as participants or as resource faculties will chart new course and fashion a new and pragmatic approach that could ginger and fast- track the process of eradicating corruption.
Once again, I welcome you all and wish you happy and successful deliberations.
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Population - 140 Million
GDP - $54.7Billion
GDP per Capita - $400
GDP Growth - 3.8%
GNI – $42.8 Billion
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