STOP CELEBRATING CORRUPT PEOPLE, JONATHAN TELLS NIGERIANS

If Nigerians stop rewarding corrupt practices, and ensure that those who enrich themselves through dubious means are not celebrated, the country would start to make progress in the fight against corruption, President Goodluck Jonathan has said. The president, who made this comment in Abuja yesterday this while declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society, noted that in spite of institutional reforms aimed at fighting corrupt practices, Nigerians, through their actions, still reward corruption, thus making it attractive for corrupt leaders to indulge in the act.
The conference which had as its theme, “Institutions, Institutional Reforms and Economic Development,” is the single largest gathering of economists in the country.
Jonathan advised that the country should stop creating an environment where people would be tempted to steal from the people.
He said: “We believe that we should not create an environment where people would be tempted to take what belongs to the public, because that is why even in the fertiliser business we talk about electronic wallet so that funds are not exposed to corrupt people.
“I want a society where all of us will frown upon people who come up with what they are not supposed to have.
“If a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7million to N15million and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption.”
The president further noted that the fight against corruption is not what the government alone could handle, adding that both public and private institutions were also involved sharp practices.
“So for us as a nation to bring corruption down in Nigeria, it is not just blaming government or blaming police but all individuals must frown upon people who have what they are not supposed to have, who live in houses they supposed not to live in; who drives cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear suits more expensive.”
“And until us as Nigerians are able to do this, then invariably we are all rewarding corruption and until we stop that, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go.”
Source: Leadership