The Federal Government on Wednesday made it clear to the civil society organisations, Transparency International, or any other anti-corruption watchdog that they are not fighting corruption to impress anyone.
Rather, anti-corruption campaigns should ensure growth in all sectors of the national economy, he said.
“We are not fighting corruption because we want to impress Transparency International and other organizations,” Information Minister Rai Mohammed said at a meeting of federal officials chaired by the president at Aso Rock Villa this week. After the meeting, he told a state parliamentary correspondent, Abuja.
Transparency International released its 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index report on Tuesday. Nigeria will maintain her 24 out of 100 score in 2021, ranking 150th out of 180 countries.
The CPI 2022, published on January 31, 2023, ranks Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Ireland in the top 10. According to the report , their scores ranged from 90 to 77; these countries are “cleanest”.
However, it ranks Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, North Korea, Libya, Yemen, Venezuela, South Sudan, Syria and Somalia as the 10 most corrupt countries, with scores ranging from 12 to 17 out of 100.
Indicators include corruption, embezzlement of public funds, irrational use of public office for personal gain, the government’s ability to prevent corruption and enforce effective integrity mechanisms in the region. bureaucracy, and excessive bureaucratic burdens, factors that can increase opportunities for corruption and meritocracy or nepotism. appointed in the civil service.
However, the federal government has criticized the IT model used in the investigation.
He advised the anti-corruption watchdog to change its rating model, adding that Buhari’s regime is serious about tackling corruption.
According to the minister, “We are not anti-corruption because we want to impress Transparency International or any other organization.
“We are fighting corruption because we believe that if we do not fight corruption there will be no economic or even political growth.
“So what we do and what we do to fight corruption is not because we want to be judged by anyone.”
He questioned the model used for the investigation, saying, “Whatever model is used, it clearly ignores what this administration is doing to fight corruption.”
“The fight against corruption doesn’t just depend on how many people you arrest. How many people have you tried? How many people have you convicted?
“So we’re not worried or upset about Transparency International’s ratings because we know that all we’re doing is making sure we’re fighting corruption in the best way possible. body.
“If they don’t see that, then I think they need to change their model. But again, we don’t fight corruption to impress them.
Mohammed argues that the Abacha regime’s handling of looting and the efforts of anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have made corruption difficult.
“For me, this is an example of how to fight corruption, an example of how to make sure that people no longer steal what has been recovered,” he said.
“I am proud to say that we have been more proactive in the fight against corruption and people do not want to see what we have done to fight corruption. “Once again, the courage of this administration in exposing senior administrative officials who broke the law is proof of our determination and courage in the fight against corruption.”
