• Buhari govt has addressed corruption squarely, says Lai Mohammed
By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun disclosed in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, yesterday, that the Federal Government is working on 2, 500 corruption tips provided by whistleblowers.
The minister said this at the Special (10th) Edition of government’s Town Hall Meeting in Abuja.
Adeosun added that the anti corruption fight is not only yielding fruit, but has become acceptable among Nigerians.
“The whistle-blowing policy has made every Nigerian a detective’’ and many of them are not even requesting for compensation.
“We have over 2,500 tips from various quarters in the country through the whistle blowing policy, not just the big ones, but, also, the small money. Someone diverting the petty cash for the university, we were able to get in there and stopped it. The fight against corruption is for everybody. The Federal Government has got more than 2,500 tips that they are working on, that will lead to the recovery of looted funds and blocking of leakages.
She added that the country is already moving out of recession as government is taking measures that will get the country out of recession, adding that “Nigeria is coming out of recession. All the 36 states are viable and we are coming out stronger.”
Adeosun was among nine ministers who participated in the town hall meeting held yesterday, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja.
The town hall meeting is a midterm review aimed at assessing the performance of various ministries in the country in the two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Those in attendance include Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Budget and National Planning Minister, Udoma Udoma; and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.
At the same event, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed insisted Buhari’s administration has confronted corruption headlong, since 2015.
He said Nigerians should expect more prosecutions and convictions.
Mohammed noted that the present administration has a good story to tell on its agenda, especially the fight against corruption.
He made the clarifications against the backdrop of criticisms of the administration’s anti-corruption war by Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara at Senator Dino Melaye’s book launch on Monday, in Abuja.
“Let me say straightaway that, in giving this mid-term report, I am convinced beyond reasonable doubts that this administration has a story to tell, a story of achievements that – if we are able to continue along this path – will stand the test of time and put our dear nation on the path of sustainable growth and development.
“We have taken on corruption at its core. There are more prosecutions and there will be more convictions for public sector corruption than Nigeria has ever seen.
“We have acted to address the leakages in government spending that make corruption possible through the zero-based budgeting and the Treasury Singles Account (TSA), the government’s efficiency unit and the hugely successful whistle-blower policy.”