Poised to avoid collapse of governance, an anti-corruption non- governmental, organization, Cleen Foundation has called for public mobilization against corruption and abuse of public funds.
Executive Director of Cleen Foundation, Mr Benson Olugbuo made the call during a sensitization and capacity building workshop on voices Against Corruption held in Port-Harcourt recently.
He expressed worry over the way and manner people in public offices abuse public office for private gain and asked the civil societies on public sensitization.
Chronicling the cost of corruption on social economic development in Nigeria, Dr Jasper Uche noted that 90 percent of corruption was perpetrated at the procurement level, stating that if nothing is done to check corruption, the whole country will be in a big mess.
He regretted that issues of bribery, extortion and embezzlement of public funds, contract splitting, phantom projects, unbudgeted expenditure, and diversion of funds without virement among others have become the order of the day in public institutions.
He identified huge infrastructure deficit, low human capital development, weak industrial base, poor health sector, and shrinking job opportunities as the effects of corruption in Nigeria and stressed the need to demand transparency and accountability from public office holders.
He urged CSOs to continue to sensitize communities and critical stakeholders to demand transparency and accountability from public officers stressing that CSOs should insist that allocations for each LGAs from States are published.
On his part, the Executive Director, Media Initiative Against Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC), Dr Walter Duru, emphasized the need to use the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to make public officers accountable for their official actions.
He expressed dismay that Nigeria is coming from a background where an Official Secret Act was operational and because it helps in covering the atrocities of this in public offices, they held on to it.
Dr Duru maintained that the essence of the FOI, which was signed into law on May 28, 2011, was to enhance transparency in public administration, facilitate record- keeping for public scrutiny and promote a decent Democratic society.
