FROM ISAAC ANUMIHE, ABUJA
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday blamed Nigerians for celebrating corruption despite Federal Government’s efforts at curbing the menace. The president, who stated this while declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society, insisted that if Nigerians do not celebrate corrupt practices, those who enrich themselves through dubious means would think twice before perpetrating such acts.

The conference, which had as its theme: “Institutions, Institutional Reforms and Eeconomic Development” is the single largest gathering of economists in the country.
Jonathan said the fight against corruption was not what the government alone could handle but that it should be fought by both public and private institutions because they are also involved in sharp practices.
The president, however, advised that the people should stop creating environments where criminals would be tempted to take what belongs to the public.
“We believe that we should not create an environment where people would be tempted to take what belongs to the public because that is why even in the fertilizer business we talk about electronic wallet so that funds are not exposed to corrupt people. When you talk about corruption, the private sector is involved; the public sector is involved; even the individuals, including other societies and I wouldn’t want to mention names so that I will not be attacked. But I know that if collectively all of us don’t reward corruption, people would not be attracted to corrupt practices but when we all reward corruption, then, of course, we will be tempted to go in that direction,” he said.
Jonathan noted that the Federal Government would continue to strengthen all anti-corruption agencies with a view to making them impregnable.
According to him, the Federal Government’s approach to fighting corruption was targeted at building institutions that had the capacity to overcome corrupt influences.
This approach, he added, would use the rule of law as a framework to fight corruption.
In this regard, he said the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) have been repositioned to ensure more effective, efficient and transparent way of managing corruption and corrupt practices.
“I want a society where all of us will frown upon people who come up with what they are not supposed to have. (If) a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7 million to N15 million and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption. So, for us as a nation to bring corruption down in Nigeria, it is not just blaming government or blaming police but all individuals must frown upon people who have what they are not supposed to have, who live in houses they are not supposed to live in; who drive cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear suits more expensive than their income
Source:- Sunnews