COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A RADIO TOWN HALL MEETING AGAINST CORRUPTION, ORGANISED BY THE PROGRESSIVE IMPACT ORGANIZATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PRIMORG)

BACKGROUND TO DELIBERATIONS

The Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG) with support from the MacArthur Foundation held a town hall meeting against corruption on February 12th, 2021.

The theme of the town hall meeting was: BUILDING AND MAINTAINING INTEGRITY IN THE WORKPLACE.

The meeting was also used to celebrate an integrity icon, an Assistant Director at National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), Mrs. Tani Ali Nimlan.

She is one of the 2019 Integrity Icon awardee, whose exceptional display of uprightness and transparency in monitoring all NAFDAC regulated products in the market to ensure public safety over time.

Other participants and speakers at the meeting looked at the dangers of massive corruption undermining due process in the public sector, especially in procurement processes and budgeting, as well as proffered solutions to it.

The participants include Jemila Ujah, an associate of the integrity icon; Kyura Wakkias, Grant and Compliance Officer at Integrity Nigeria; Nelson Kebordih, Legal Practitioner and Principal Partner at N.I. Kebordih & Associates; Jasper Ukachukwu, Senior Program Officer at Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD); Prince Chimaraoke Chukwuka, Communication Officer at Accountability Lab Nigeria.

In the course of deliberation, participants at the town hall meeting noted the following:

– Discipline, core values essential in molding persons of integrity.

– Public servant who wants to fight corruption requires a lot of courage and focus.

– Corruption in the public service mostly possible with private individuals colluding with government officials.

– Integrity a challenge in the public sector, corruption has become a culture among public officeholders.

– Nigerians who strive to be upright in the public sector are often sidelined and persecuted.

– Nigeria’s system not well structured to prevent corruption.

– Access to information a serious challenge in bringing corrupt public servants to account.

– Nigeria has enough laws against corruption.

– Nigeria is challenged with the applicability and enforcement of existing laws against corruption.

– Filling Nigeria’s public service with people of integrity will boost Nigeria’s reputation and influence across Africa.

– Integrity can be greatly improved among public servants if their welfare packages and salaries are prioritized by the government.

– People of integrity should be celebrated and rewarded to encourage others.

– The government has enough policies that can guide civil servants if implemented.

– Public servants not motivated enough in being people of integrity considering their salaries, welfare packages, others.

– Nigeria should strive to be people of integrity in order to build a better generation in the future.

CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION

– Nigerians need enough psychical re-direction of mindsets to become law-abiding.

– Government should lead by example, enforce its laws and policies in the public service.

– Welfare packages of public servants should be improved.
– Civil Servants should concentrate and work in the interest of the public rather than themselves.

CHIDOZIE OGBONAYA
Communications/Media Officer,
PRIMORG
09022656167