Nigerian Agency, NGO, tags corruption as monster, empower youths to fight

Nigerian Agency, NGO tags corruption as monster, empower youths to fight

NIGERIA

An anti-corruption agency in Nigeria known as the Independent Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC), and a Non-governmental Organization (NGO), otherwise call YIAGA AFRICA, has tagged corruption as an endemic monster, encouraging youths to rise to the challenge of holding their leaders accountable.

This was made known on Wednesday, by the ICPC Bauchi State Commissioner, Mr. Abubakar Dutsinma, who represented the Chairman of the Commission, Bolaji Owasanoye, at a 3-day workshop organised in Jos north central part of the country, by YIAGA AFRICA, tagged “Bounce Corruption”, said the Commission remain resolute in promoting zero tolerance for corruption, impunity and social injustice in general.

“Corruption has systematically became an endemic hydra-headed monster, that partnership with all anti-corruption bodies such as YIAGA AFRICA is indispensable”, Dutsinma said.

Participants at a 3-day workshop organised in Jos north central part of Nigeria

With the theme, ‘Social Audits, Community Organisation and Campaigns on Anti-Corruption’, Tracy Keshi, the programme officer, accountability and social justice YIAGA AFRICA,  said the ‘Bounce Corruption’ project is aimed at complementing the effort of state and non-state actors in the fight against corruption.

She added that the project seeks to instill zero tolerance for corruption and impunity, through effective citizenship oversights and mobilizing activities for good governance.

Keshi who is also the programme lead for the project said the ‘bounce corruption lab’, is primarily aimed to equip young people with the relevant information and tools to conduct social audits in their respective Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“The objective of this particular training is to reach young people, on how to understand and analyze local government budget, as well as conduct social audit in their respective LGAs” she said.

Tracy Keshi, the programme officer, accountability and social justice YIAGA AFRICA. at the event after an interview with Journalists on Wednesday

In his remarks, the lead facilitator at the workshop, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the programme seeks to inspire young people to take ownership of the anti-corruption fight and to sensitize them to become socially aware of their environment, especially at the LGA level.

“The big issue is that at the grassroots level, citizen engagement is very low. When we talk about the national budget, there is excitement, but at the LGA level, people residing in the area, are not aware that it has budget, and by so the local government authorities get away with a lot of corrupt questionable offenses”, Nwagwu said.

Our correspondent reports that participants at the workshop are drawn from six states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Abuja.

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