The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has declared that corruption has devastated Nigeria economically and socially, urging citizens to summon the courage to expose it.
This assertion was made by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of the ICPC, Mrs Ekere Usiere, during an event in Yenagoa on Thursday. The event, organised by the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), marked the International Anti-Corruption Day.
Delivering a paper titled From Fear to Courage: Overcoming Barriers to Whistleblowing in Nigeria, Usiere warned that unless Nigerians rise to tackle corruption, it could destroy the nation.
“There is no gainsaying that the scourge of corruption has brought Nigeria to its knees, from economic underdevelopment to socio-political decadence,” she stated. “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will definitely kill Nigeria. That is why we need an effective whistleblower mechanism as a critical tool to fight against corruption.”
Usiere urged Nigerians to overcome fears and cultural barriers to embrace whistleblowing, describing it as an essential step in combating corruption.
She explained, “Citizens need to overcome cultural, psychological and systemic challenges to blow the whistle against corruption and other ills bedevilling our country. If we must fight corruption in Nigeria and reduce it to the barest minimum, then we must put on the armour of courage to surmount the fear of whistleblowing.
“If you see something, you must say something! If you hear something, you must say something!”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, lauded the efforts of the ACTU in organising the event, emphasising the board’s commitment to curbing corruption through proactive measures.
“Today, we are marking and celebrating the International Anti-Corruption Day, with a focus on raising the consciousness of our youths to the ills of corruption and how it turns the socio-economic development of any nation,” Ogbe said
Leave a Reply