Gombe Gov, Yahaya taking proactive measures to fight corruption
By Ben NGWAKWE, Gombe
For the past two years of governance in Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has been battling to change the negative narratives his administration inherited in the state from the immediate past government.
This ugly development made the governor who has been in the private sector except for the tutelage he had as Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development under the former Governor Mohammed Danjuma Goje before becoming the Executive Governor of the State to take measures toward ridding the system of the menace.
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Gov Yahaya-led administration had initiated and continued to initiate policies and programmes towards addressing some of this mess discovered in the system with the aim and objectives of correcting it.
In an effort to fight corruption in the state Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya organized the two-day retreat titled, “the art and practice of system integrity and value governance as a panacea to curbing corruption”, for political appointees and career civil servants on the role of system integrity and value governance in curbing corruption in Nigeria.
This occasion demonstrates his commitment to partner with relevant anti-corruption agencies in order to strengthen the fight against corruption and promote good governance.
The Governor who is desirous to change governance for good in the state hoped that the retreat would equip the political office holders and civil servants with the right knowledge, insights and experience to combat corruption and improve the existing good governance mechanism.
He said, “as Nigeria is passing through the difficult economic situation, the need for prudent and transparent management of our resources is therefore crucial to national economic development. Therefore, this retreat is coming at the right time”.
The Governor who further explained the rationale behind the event said that the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria was set up as the training and advocacy arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to educate the public, providing advisory services and fostering public support against corruption.
“Since its inception, it has trained generations of anti-corruption advocates and sensitized the citizenry on the dangers of corruption and its negative effects on social and economic development. Our administration will continue to partner with reputable institutions like the ICPC and ACAN to build capacity and promote integrity in our political and civil service culture”.
“Today, corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. This is due to decades of administrative neglect and indiscipline. Fighting corruption is one of the cardinal objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Nigeria is both a signatory to the United Nations and African Union conventions against corruption. As President Buhari always say: ‘we must kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria.’ Let me make it clear that I strongly share Mr President’s vision on creating a corruption-free Nigeria where our resources are judiciously utilized for the benefit of all our people”.
He lamented that in Gombe State they are walking the talk and matching the words with action because of the financial mess they inherited and the tremendous successes they have recorded in the past two years, ranging from plugging leakages to eliminating redundancies, public service reforms and fiscal discipline.
The Governor who is a workaholic and executing laudable projects despite the meagre resources from the federation account said that they have demonstrated their resolve to break from the past and to chart a new course for Gombe State, one that is built on the foundation of prudence, efficiency and transparency.
“Because it is only through just and efficient utilization of resources that we can substantially deliver the dividends of democracy to our people”.
Yahaya informed the participants from political office holders and civil servants across various ministries, departments and agencies that the retreat aims to share insights, knowledge and experience on best practices in fighting corruption and strengthening system integrity while participants are expected to apply their new knowledge and insights in their various places of work.
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“On our part, the government will provide the enabling environment to combat corruption and reward integrity and honesty in governance”.
He called on all stakeholders especially religious and traditional institutions, civil servants, civil society groups and the general public to support the effort towards fighting corruption and ensuring accountability in governance.
Adding that they should join hands together to kill the monster of corruption before it kills the country.
