Corruption remains a major obstacle to development and a destroyer of ethical values in Nigeria, Bolaji Owasanoye, President of the Independent Commission of Corrupt Practices and other related crimes (ICPC), has said.
Mr Owasanoye said this on Monday at Harvest Fields International’s ‘Annual Leadership Making a Difference Seminar’ held in Lagos.
According to a statement by ICPC spokesperson Azuka Ogugwa on Tuesday, the ICPC president said that corruption undermines infrastructure development due to suspicious procurement processes.
He said: “Corruption is the biggest obstacle to development and an existential threat to unity. It affects everyone and everything in a negative and serious way.
“At a minimum, corruption destroys ethical and moral values; compromises security, justice and the rule of law; deprives citizens of economic, social and constitutional rights; it breeds distrust, mistrust, unemployment, violence;
“It generates poverty since it diverts resources from poverty reduction projects; it hinders the effective allocation and deployment of resources, and fuels ethnic mistrust and conflict due to the unfair allocation of resources”.
Speaking further, Mr. Owasanoye identified the recovery of assets from corrupt individuals as a key measure to fight corruption.
“It has become necessary to recover the assets of the corrupt to deny them the use of what they had stolen from the public coffers. Our efforts are aimed at recovering identified stolen assets and resources that will be used for the development of the country.
“Millions of Nigerians who suffer from the denial of basic social services and lack of infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, water and employment will be helped when looters recover stolen goods.”
The ICPC president cited some scriptures in his advice to seminar participants on how to make a difference in leadership and avoid corrupt tendencies.
Recommendations, according to him, include: lower expectations of reward or gratitude (Luke 17:10); having options and reminding oneself that he or she is not the only person who can do it (1 Kings 19:10); and focusing on the basic needs and not on the vanities of life (1 Timothy 6:8).
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He also recommended ignoring praise singers who exaggerate someone’s importance to the system (John 6:25-26), giving up a privilege or right when in doubt (1 Cor. 6:12), granting benefits to others and focus on wellness. concerns of subordinates (Matt. 5:40), must be unambiguous about integrity issues (Proverbs 11:3), and be ready to speak truth to power and follow its lead.
Earlier, in his welcoming remarks, City Harvest Church Host and Senior Pastor Abraham Akinola said that the 2022 Leadership Seminar aims to create a better society and redeem the country.
He also appealed to the general public about the need to emulate the life and attitude of Christ in order to preserve the nation.
“It has been a long journey. This is the 16th Edition and it is creating a better society. We should not be overwhelmed by our many challenges, we have Nigerians who have faced the challenges of our society and our guest speaker is one of them.
“We need to exert more of the influence of Christ in our lives and attitudes to enable us to preserve our nation. We, in particular, need the character of Christ in our lives, the choice of words, the dress code and the attitude to influence a change in our society,” said Mr. Akinola.
Other speakers at the Leadership Seminar included former Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President Assisi Asobie and TVC News Senior Researcher Babajide Otitoju.