From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Gov Lalong
Governor Simon Bako Lalong has called on traditional rulers and religious leaders alike to join hands in the Federal Government war against corruption by interrogating the processes that leads to the conferment of chieftaincy and religious titles on their subjects.
Lalong disclosed this during the visit by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption to Plateau State to assess its compliance level with the anti0corruption drive.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Rhoda Dakok presented a paper on the level of compliance in the state, at the Hill Station Hotel venue of the meeting in Jos, the state capital. .
Lalong said the choice of Plateau as the pilot state for this activity is a wake-up call to all workers in all spheres of public, civil and private workforce in the state to be cautious and be guided by financial laws and regulations in all monetary transactions.
Lalong urged traditional fathers to weed out corrupt persons who may want to take advantage of such noble gesture for image laundering
According to him, “for the same purpose the media, the judiciary, law makers, civil society organizations and operators in our education sector, lawyers as well as women, youth, security agencies and operators in the informal and organized private sectors needs no invitation to join in this fight against corruption.
“It is your sacred duty to join in this fight because you are critical arrow heads of this war ravaging our society, he explained.
He noted that both the Executive and the Legislative Arms of Government have just been inaugurated and consequent upon this, new leaderships and political appointees are emerging to drive the process of governance for the next four years, the critical focal point of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the National and State levels is the sustenance of the fight against corruption.
He warned that no one is left in doubt that the bane of the slow pace and process of development in the nation is corruption, which has eaten deeply into the fabric of our society.
“Before now, everyone believed that the fight against corruption is only centred on the executives, but the case is now diverse, the legislatures, the judiciary and all sectors of the economy are under watch.
“It is on this note that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) just commissioned investigators to verify constituency projects executed by immediate past Senators and Members of the House of Representatives.
“This noble activity will trickle down to the state and the local governments for the purpose of probity and accountability. It therefore means that contractors too and all citizenry who are found to connive or aid corruption will surely face the law.
“On our part as a government we shall continue to partner with the State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency in Plateau State for massive public awareness on the adverse consequences of corruption on our polity.
Also we shall ensure that in this dispensation, appointees are considered for appointment if found worthy in character and devoid of any corruption charges and or records.
The Director NOA, Plateau state, Mr Bulus Dabit said the current fight against corrupt Nigerian is a serious business that has continued to destroy the economic wellbeing of the citizens.
He said most of the suffering we are experiencing today was as a result of corruption which reduce people to the level of underdevelopment of the country .
Dabit condemned the way all manners of people and corrupt politician are awarded title in their community and suggested a stakeholders meeting is create awareness campaign on how to educate them
