‘We need to kill corruption to solve economic crisis,’ Minister says

He made the comments on Thursday, October 27, while speaking at the Annual Lecture of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Abuja.

“…That’s why the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture launched a Sensitization Campaign Against Corruption on 18th January 2016…with a view to alerting Nigerians to the evils of corruption and carrying them along in the efforts by the government to tackle the menace,” he said.

“As this Administration is stepping up its anti-corruption fight while also seeking to bring the economy out of recession and put it on the path of sustainable growth.

“In other words, in countries where you have a high level of corruption, there is reduced economic growth and, of course, higher poverty level. That’s why the Berlin-based global civil society organization, Transparency International, said corruption, especially public sector corruption, is about so much more than missing money. It’s about people’s lives.

“It is therefore not a surprise that the countries that have consistently scored high marks in the Annual Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International are also the countries that have also managed to grow a sustainable economy.

“We are very much aware that the fight against corruption will not be easy. Fighting entrenched corruption can sometimes be a very lonely road to travel in our part of the world, where a true community of genuine corruption fighters are assailed from every side by unwary recruits of the looters among us, in our communities, places of work and worship.

“We also know that corruption is fighting back, fastly and furiously. But with uncommon commitment and determination, we will win the war against corruption,” he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier said that Nigeria must either kill corruption or prepare to be killed by it.