Stop Rubbishing Our Anti-Graft Fight – FG Tells Transparency Int

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed

Transparency International (TI) and local civil society organisations affiliated to it, have been warned by the federal government to stop frustrating it anti-corruption fight.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the minister of Information and Culture gave this advice when he hosted a TI delegation, led by the Chair of the body’s International Board, Delia Rubio, in Abuja on Friday.

The Special Adviser to the Minister, Segun Adeyemi who released a statement as regards the meeting stated that the Minister, specifically, told the global anti-corruption body to support, rather than condemn, the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration’s fight against corruption.

The minister stated that the organization and it local affiliating body have always set out to discredit the efforts of the government rather than offering the necessary support to the administration.

The Minister added that when the government disclosed that just 55 people stole N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013, the organization was bias towards it.

Mohammed said Nigeria was succeeding in its anti-corruption fight because the fight was being led by a President whose integrity is beyond reproach.

“As a policy, this government is the most committed to fighting corruption.

‘”Nigeria has never had a more transparent, more accountable government than the Buhari Administration.

“Even his worst critics won’t say he indulges in or encourages corruption,” he said.

Lai Mohammed added that the federal government is fight the scourge of corruption not just with laws, but also with proper orientation and inclusiveness of government.

He cited the government’s ‘Change Begins With Me’ programme as an example of efforts being made to achieve attitudinal change among the citizenry.

the Minister alleged that those who looted the nation’s fund were sponsor deeming campiagns against the adminsitration to ensure that the re-election bid of the president fails because they know that it signifies doom for them.

The Minister, therefore, tasked TI and its affiliates to show more understanding for the sociological complexities of fighting corruption in the country.

For her part, the TI global chair said she decided to come to Nigeria, her first-ever visit to Africa, because the country could set the tone for the continent in the fight against corruption.

She said TI’s mandate is to offer support through civil society organisations and the private sector to foster the fight against corruption.

“We are not an opposition anywhere in the world.

“We are just an NGO working in over 100 countries of the world. We are not enemies. We are here to help,” she said.