President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday expressed delight that the message of anti- corruption is taking irreversible resonance as other units of government voluntarily pick the gauntlet to confront the malaise.
Buhari made the declaration in his keynote speech at the 1st Adamawa State Anti-Corruption Summit in Yola. He said it was encouraging that a state government on its own decided to fight corruption by encouraging a culture of transparency and integrity in the conduct of public affairs.
“Even though under our system, the federal government cannot directly interfere in the details of the operations of states, but to see that the gross corruption at the local level is being checked and transparently reported is a thing of satisfaction and joy for me,” Mr. Buhari said.
In his opening remarks, elder statesman, Ahmed Joda, suggested a nationwide anti-corruption campaign to be spearheaded by the National Orientation Agency. He blamed corruption for the slow pace of adjudication of corruption cases in court and various social and economic problems, including the burgeoning almajiri population in the North.
Delivering his keynote address, the Secretary to Adamawa State Government, Umar Bindir, highlighted the major achievements of the Umar Bindow administration which he predicated on the transparent deployment of the state’s resources in key sectors. He thanked President Buhari for easing the burden of governance on state governments through the release of bail out and Paris Club refunds.
The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, was among dignitaries that welcomed President Buhari to the summit, where he is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion of various corruption issues on Wednesday.