Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has lamented what he termed ‘high-level’ corruption in the country.

Speaking during the UNILAG Convocation Lecture on Monday, he reiterated that corruption in the country thrived because previous governments condoned it.

“I think it’s important to continue to underscore the fact that our major problem has always been grand corruption,” he said.

According to him, such high-level corruption has affected the government’s capacity to provide the basic needs of Nigerians.

He, therefore, stressed that in the next four years, the ‘Next Level’ agenda of the Buhari-administration will not condone such grand corruption.

“The direct stealing of government resources…I keep emphasizing and every time I emphasize it, there’s a headline in the newspaper (Yemi Osinbajo blames previous governments, it’s always a headline) but I do not mind repeating it because it’s the truth and we must not allow it to happen again because there are very few people who understand how badly, the fact that somebody can sign a cheque and take money out of the treasury (any amount of money) and how that affects our capacity to do even the most basic things, provide the most basic services to our people.

“The kind of high-level corruption.

“Corruption on the size that diminishes the public revenue so substantially that you’re almost unable to do anything is what we have experienced in our country and it must never happen again,” he added.

Others present at the occasion were the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Chairman Channels Media Group, John Momoh; Arthur Mbanefo among others.

The week-long event which took place at Akoka, Lagos State, is expected to come to a close on April 5.

• Sourced from a Channels TV report

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