I will not relent in fight against corruption, says Buhari

NIM boss seeks overhaul of criminal justice system

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his resolve to continue to fight corruption and associated social vices at all levels until they are exterminated from our body polity.

The President, who stated this during the 2016 yearly national management conference yesterday in Abuja, said to set the country on the path of greatness and prosperity, elimination of all forms of corrupt practices must be on the front-burner.

He said: “You will agree with me that great nation is the reward of great leadership built on good governance. This is our motivation and value proposition, my administration will therefore, continue to fight corruption and associated social vices at all levels until they are exterminated from our body polity.”

Buhari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, stated that government would not relent in its resolve to ensure that it delivers the dividends of democracy to the teeming populace through good governance, especially in the areas of providing security, fighting corruption, employment generation and diversification of the economy.

Commending the code of conduct of the institute that calls for selfless and corrupt-free practices and employment of efficient and economical ways of getting things done, he called on the institute to ensure that the code of conduct becomes a culture for all Nigerians through their interaction and collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other relevant agencies that will support the cause.

He further urged it to offer professional advice to his administration, adding that the government would appreciate the involvement of the institute in the key function areas of governance where the services of professional bodies are needed.

Buhari said the Nigerian project was faced with several challenges and the solutions to them must be fast-tracked if the country must get the economy up and running again.

In his opening remarks, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) president, Prof. Munzali Jibril, called on Buhari to overhaul the nation’s criminal justice system and the personnel who enforce and interpret the law if the fight against corruption must succeed.

He urged the President to extend his fight against corruption by putting impenetrable structures and systems in place that would make corruption a risky business, thereby enshrining in the minds of Nigerians the high probability of being caught and the severity of sanctions attached to it.