University of Nigeria Nsukka Muslim Community (UNNMC) in conjunction with Mambayya House, Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Bayero University, Kano, have organised a one day interfaith meetings with the local government elected representatives.
The meeting, according to the organisers was centred on the need to promote accountability and good governance in Abia state as elected office holders.
In his remarks, Director of University of Nigeria Nsukka Muslim community, (UNNMC) Dr Monsur Saddiq said, councillors as elected office holders to the third tier of government should be accountable to the people who voted them to power and avoid enriching themselves while in office.
UNNMC Director who noted that the theme “Promoting Accountability and Anti- Corruption through Behavioural Change Approaches”, was well chosen to remind them of their promises made during campaigns.
According to the director, such promises earned them their votes, urging them therefore to be accountable to the voters so that at the end of their tenure, they should be able to ask for another term.
In his presentation, the General Overseer of Abundance of Christ Church, Umuahia, Rev (Dr) Lawrence Uwaoma noted that corruption has permeated into the fabric of every facets of Nigeria’s life, degenerated to a point where children also indulge in corruption, calling on elected office holders to live above board.
Reverend Uwaoma said our conscience is already dead to corruption noting that there is need to sensitise our politicians on the need for accountability and need to fight against corruption among elected office holders.
The clergyman however explained that the church and mosque have a role to play in order to fight against corruption.
On his part,the Chief Imam of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Dr Ibrahim Ewetola urged Nigerians to take the battle on transparency and accountability to the spiritual realm noting that that if one has fear of God, one did not need EFCC to police him in doing the right thing.
The Moslem cleric decried the high level of corruption stressing that in today’s Nigeria, people no longer have conscience while lamenting that the resources we ought to enjoy together, politicians will take it away without recourse to attendant effects to the poor masses.
