The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to sustaining
the anti-corruption fight, ensure that the system is cleaned up and
government business is done the right way, says Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, SAN.
According to him, “if we are not able to sustain the trouble against
corruption, we will end up in a very, very bad way as a nation,” noting
that the Defence contract of $15 billion which was frittered away in
people’s pockets, “is half of our country’s foreign reserves.”
Speaking today during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Association of Law
Teachers in the State House, Abuja, the Vice President noted that the
fight against corruption is a difficult fight and said “we have seen it in
so many different ways that at almost every state, corruption fights back
and fights very fiercely.”
Prof. Osinbajo however cautioned, “we should be able to examine our
priorities because for us corruption is not a moral issue, it is an
existential issue,” adding that “to a large extent it will determine
whether we will survive as a corporate whole because of the way people
feel that when I get into an office I will go after the resources of the
state, and I will go after it in the most vicious and the most reckless
manner that is possible.”
He urged that in response to the malaise of corruption, the intellectual
elites, whether religious, political in particular or academic elites must
stand up for what is right.
Earlier, the leader of the Association, Prof. Godwin Nwabueze Okeke,
commended the Vice President for being available for the visit and asked
him to declare open the forthcoming 50th Conference of the Association
which is taking place in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in June, 2017.
He said the Association is solidly in support of the Federal Government
and is ready to assist in whichever way needed.
Also, today at a separate meeting, Vice President Osinbajo has restated
that the Federal Government is keen in its desire to support the
establishment of a Chamber of Commerce for young people across the Niger
Delta region to drive creativity and entrepreneurship.
He stated this when he met with a delegation of Niger Delta Expatriate
Mentorship Committee an initiative led by the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr.
Uguru Usani Uguru in his office.
The Vice President commended the initiative and noted that the expatriate
mentorship scheme which is in partnership with UNESCO, aligns with the
commitment of the Buhari Presidency for the region and is capable of
catalyzing development in the region. He observed that the international
mentorship/internship will expose beneficiaries to international standard,
best business practice and technology.
During his brief remarks, the leader of the organization and Chief
Mentorship Officer, Mr. Chika Olejeme said under the National Expatriate
Mentorship Strategy, selected youths will be sent abroad for international
mentorship and internship. 30 countries in Europe and the United States of
America have already signed up to the programme.