For President Muhammadu Buhari’s War Against Corruption to succeed, Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Sulyman Kawu has advocated introduction of credible public complaints system in the country.
He also recommended the establishment of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) offices at ward, local, state and national levels.
Justice Kawu spoke at the 17th annual dinner/lecture of Third Estate (Ilorin Emirate). The jurist, whose lecture was titled “Fighting corruption: The role of the judiciary”, called for the establishment of a reward and rebuke system.
Justice Kawu also canvassed a national re-orientation of the citizenry to recapture the core values of honesty, discipline and loyalty to national objectives above considerations as tribe and religion.
Justice Kawu, who was the guest lecturer, said: “In our bid to rid the society of corruption, it is necessary to re-orientate the civil service of its role of neutrality and being anonymous in political affairs.
“A civil servant that will stick to the civil service rules and defy illegal/unlawful orders from political class, with security of tenure of office, efficient service delivery, better conditions of service, who will help facilitate and not frustrate government policies, is what Nigeria needs to transform her into a true giant of Africa.
“The price for accepting corruption as a way of life is what we have been paying in terms of unemployment of our teaming youths, poor roads, ill-equipped hospitals, gradual criminalisation of the entire society and many more.
“The price to pay in accepting the responsibility to fight corruption consists of reforming the police, judiciary and civil service.
“Except we see those accused of corruption in the society as destroyers of the society, they will continue to pillage our commonwealth and impoverish us and our future generations. It is high time the society stood up to its responsibility to give information to investigating agencies of government and testify in court when called upon to do so.”
In a remark, President of Third Estate (Ilorin Emirate), Dr Yusuf Lawal urged elected and appointed government officials in the country to uphold the constitution to which they have sworn to by carrying out their duties conscientiously and with the fear of God.
Dr Lawal disclosed that the association has continued “in its stride in the promotion of the development and wellbeing of Ilorin Emirate and its people. We have continued to carry out intervention projects aimed at complementing government efforts in the development sector, as well as serving as advocates for the articulation of the collective interest of the emirate.”
