TheCable

The United Nations in 2003 set aside December 9 to mark the international anti-corruption day — “promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently and effectively… promote, facilitate and support international cooperation and technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption… [and] promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property…”

The 2017 edition, with the theme ‘United against corruption for development, peace and security’, will be marked across the world.

According to the UN, every year $1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption – a sum equivalent to more than five percent of the global GDP.

Nigeria is currently faced with many cases of corruption and more are being discovered by the day.

In 2015, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said 55 ex-public office holders stole more than N1.34 trillion from public treasury in eight years.

According to him, “using the World Bank rates and costs, one-third of the stolen funds could have provided 635.18 kilometres of road; built 36 ultra-modern hospitals, that is one ultra-modern hospital per state; built 183 schools; educated 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at N25.24m per child; and built 20,062 units of two-bedroom houses.”

TheCable will have a Twitter discussion on corruption starting from 9am.

You can follow the conversation by using the hashtag #WhatIsCorruptiontoYou. Make suggestions, share your experience, let’s have your comments.