Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has commended the efforts being made by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, in sensitisation against corruption at the grassroots. He gave the commendation in his address on Saturday during the launch of a programme titled “Advocacy Against Corruption at Grassroots”.

Alhaji Mohammed said there is no better time to rise and show solidarity for a just cause such as the current fight against corruption in Nigeria than now when the democratic government has adopted the change mantra.

The minister, who spoke through Mallam Abdullahi Hamza, Assistant Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), noted that the change agenda of the APC coordinated by Mr. President has no iota of plans to inflict pain on Nigerians, adding: “On the contrary, the emergence of the change mantra was designed to remove the pain Nigerians were subjected to by corruption.”

Also in his address at the occasion, the Acting Chairman Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, titled “Let’s Kill Corruption Before It’s Too Late” said, this step taken to launch advocacy against corruption at the grass root is no doubt, is a step

in the right direction since the people at the grass root constitute major victims of the menace of corruption anywhere in the world.

Magu who spoke through, Acting Head Public interface in the commission Mr. Tony Orilade, added: “I’m also much aware that this responsibility and patriotism towards complementing the Federal Government’s efforts to rid corruption in Nigeria, is a social responsibility of the press

which the Kaduna Council of NUJ has identified with in line with the change matra of the present administration.”

He said this event put together by the NUJ Kaduna Council is key to the administration’s anti- corruption agenda, adding, we are always ever ready to provide the media with the information that the media need to disseminate to the grass root on the evil of corruption, together, we shall fight this menace.”

He pointed out that corruption is the number one problem that has militated against the development of Nigeria, especially the very poor at the grass root.

Magu then stressed that EFCC will not, and does not engage in witch-hunt, adding: “Our activities are in line with international best practices and in all that we do, we are indeed, guided by the fear of God and then patriotism to our fatherland and the rule of law. Barrister Festus Okoye in his remarks pointed out that Corruption has dented the image of this country.

Also speaking a renowned Columnist Mohammed Haruna observed that jumping fuel cue and violating traffic rules are all part of corruption.

Earlier in his welcome address, the NUJ Council Chairman. Comrade Garba Muhammad, noted that, corruption cannot be tackled from the top alone, it has to be confronted from the grass roots.

“That is why this dialogue underscores the importance of the bottom-up, or grassroots approach, which requires the mobilisation of the ordinary citizens,” Garba said.

According to him, “Today’s launch of the Anti corruption at the grassroots shows that governments have a long way to go to be more transparent and accountable to their citizens, while policy makers play a crucial role in ending corruption, we as citizens also have a

voice and we have to be the change we seek as the man in the mirror is you.”

•Photo shows Lai Mohammed.

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