The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has reinstated its commitments and efforts to continually work with citizens to address the challenges of corruption and abandonment of projects in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.
This was made known by Mr. Kabir Elelu, ICPC Resident Commissioner in Lagos, during a courtesy visit to the commission by the members of Lagos State Citizens Network against Corruption, LACNAC, and team members of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, PAACA, as parts of the ‘Say No Campaign’ project supported by McArthur Foundation.
Mr. Elelu commended PAACA for its contributions to the fight against corruption in the country and gave assurance to continually support citizens’ movements to tackle corruption.
On his part, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executove Director, PAACA noted that the organization has been working on build a network of citizens who are passionate about fighting corruption.
“It seems that citizens over a period of time have outsourced the anti-corruption fight and consider it as the sole responsibility of the government. People do not have the sense that they should be part of the fight to address corruption,” Nwagwu mentioned.
He however noted that, “we’re changing the narrative because citizens are at the receiving end of any corrupt practices by public office holders. If citizens are able to take actions, much change would be achieved.”
Mr. Nwagwu urged members of the society to show keen interests in addressing corruption and ask the right questions when projects are abandoned, adding that, “it is the responsibility of every citizen to enquire about the state of all public projects.”
Also, Michael Ogunsola, Lagos State Coordinator, Say No Campaign, commended the efforts of the ICPC to tackle corruption and openness to work with LACNAC on ensuring the completion of abandoned project sin the state.
The highpoint of the advocacy visit was the presentation of award to Comrade Ezenwa Nwagwu for his invaluable contribution to the fight against corruption in the country.
