Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), North central zone, has charged the federal government on the need to step up its fight against corruption.
Chairman of the Institute in the Zone, Dr Raymond Iheanacho, said it remains only way to enhance the nation’s economic growth.
Ihenacho, who stated this in Abuja however commended the federal government for the structures put in place to fight corruption, said there was still room improvement.
He called on the government to further strengthen the institutions and policies that address corruption, stressing that that was the only way the war against corruption could be successfully fought and won.
“We must tackle corruption in a very hard way; there should not be any sacred cow. What should happen is that stiffer penalty should be meted on person found guilty of corrupt practices no matter whose ox is gored.
“If people said they love the country they must put it in practice people must not milk the country dry. Government is trying but there is still room for improvement, there are policies and institutions that address corruption but how effective are they?” he said.
The NIM boss said the institutions should be allowed to do what they were expected to do without any interference from government, warning against selective punishment, which he noted was not good.
“If we treat corruption with kids’ glove it cannot work, we must call a spade a spade, whosoever caught must be punished according to the law there should be no scapegoat.”
Noting that Nigeria had very good laws that can address corruption, Ihenacho added that those who were to execute the law should do so firmly without allowing undue interference.
“People should be allowed to do the job they are asked to do and they should do it very well, they should be allowed to take independence decisions and address the issue of corruption properly.
“Right from the bottom to up we should eschew anything that will make us to be corrupt. The civil servants, private workers, military and para-military workers and others, must be remunerated very well so that they will not be tempted to get themselves in corrupt practices.”
He said corruption had done a lot of damages to the image of the country outside adding that this must be corrected through our collaborative efforts.
“So we must have to clean ourselves, there must be attitudinal change, the get rich quick syndrome must be addressed and it must be from the top.
“We must not be showing up our wealth, if people said they love the country they must put it in practice people must not milk the country dry,” he said.
