'Corruption May Jeopardise Vision 20: 2020'

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Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, has identified corruption as a key element inhibiting the economic development and social progress of the country.

Speaking at one-day conference organised by the Nigerian Extractive Industry and Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in Lagos, Aganga said corruption should be tackled, if the lofty ideals of Vision 20:2020 are to be achieved.

”There is need for an effective anti-corruption strategy which must incorporate real efforts to significantly reduce the root causes of corruption.

“Currently, Nigeria is ranked 121st out of 180 in the Global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and corruption is all pervasive, both in the public and private sectors, and previous attempts of combating it has not been efficacious,” said Aganga, who was represented at the conference by Madiu Haruna.

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The finance minister, however, stated that ”there is improvement in the ranking and this is achieved principally due to the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Comission, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau and of course, the good work NEITI is doing.” The conference tagged: ‘Road Show’ was the third to be held in the Southwest region after the last one in October, 2005. In his opening remarks, Chairman of NEITI, Mr. Assisi Asobie said ”the roadshow is central to NEITI’s mandate of transparency, accountability, due process and anti-corruption.

“NEITI is expected to eliminate all forms of corrupt practices in payments, receipts and posting of revenues accruing to companies.” ”And NEITI ensures transparency and accountability by government at every level in the application of resources from payments received from extractive companies.”

—Ekene Obidike

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