TheCable

The federal government has been advised to show more political will in the fight against corruption.

Eze Onyekpere, executive director of the Centre for Social Justice (CENSOJ), gave the advice while speaking during a radio programme on 99.9 KISS FM in Abuja on Wednesday.

The programme, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG), featured journalists and editors who spoke in commemoration of the 2020 international anti-corruption day.

Onyekpere said the federal government is often “reluctant” in tackling officials indicted by corruption investigations, adding that the president must lead by example being the only person with the power to sanction indicted public officials.

He said: “Through education, prosecution, investing in technology to detect those involved in fraudulent transaction and through taking all necessary steps like the judicial, legislative and administrative step will take Nigeria very close to eradicating corruption in the Nigeria society.”

Fidelis Mac-Leva, investigations editor at Daily Trust, said the lack of political will to punish perpetrators of corruption by the government was hampering Nigeria’s fight against corruption.

He added: “Politics comes to play here, the fight against corruption is selective. So, long as you allow impunity to thrive instead of frontally attacking the issues of corruption, we will continue to run in circles.”

Chinedu Asadu, a journalist with TheCable, spoke about the high level of apathy on the side of citizens in matters relating to governance.

He also said while the attention is usually on the heads of government agencies, we need to have a strong system and not just strong individuals to ensure sustainability.”