The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke, has said that failure to fulfil promises made during campaigns by politicians and political parties is also corruption. He said this on Tuesday during the Akwa Ibom state anti-corruption summit calling on anti-corruption agencies in the country to consider prosecuting politicians who get to public offices and abandon their promises to the masses.
“Everytime we talk about corruption, we talk only in terms of the financials. But I think corrupt practices transcend this. If a political party goes to election and makes promises that they know they can't fulfil, that is corruption. Except in circumstances where we cannot genuinely deliver on promises because of circumstances, when we make electoral promises as politicians, including myself, and refuse to deliver on those promises, then we should be prosecuted for corruption”, the Speaker said.
He said it was dishonest for politicians to make lofty promises, get people to elect them on the basis of these promises, and then get to office and abandon the promises they made. He called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to persecute those found wanting in this regard.
On the occasion which was hosted by Governor Udom Emmanuel with Barr Ekpo Nta, Chairman of the ICPC, as keynote speaker, Barr. Luke said in his goodwill message that state governments stand to benefit enormously from the fight against corruption.
“It is a known fact that as federating units, state governments must play a central role in the fight against corruption if the entire country is to move forward. The benefit of state governments’ participation in the war against corruption are enormous.
“First, a corruption-free environment will help to expand the resource-base of the state especially at a time like this that we are facing an unprecedented economic downturn.
“Secondly, states like Akwa Ibom stand to benefit from meeting up with the dynamics of global public finance management. Already, through the insistence of His Excellency the Governor, we are setting a pace in this area with the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) as a model for budgeting and expenditure of public finances in Akwa Ibom state.
“Very importantly, when we are free of financial impropriety, the cost of governance will reduce.
He saluted the level of transperency promoted by the state executive. He also attributed the current corruption-free environment in the state to the fact that the state legislature and the judiciary were not found wanting in their checks and balances respinsibility.
Speaker Luke assured of the readiness of the state assembly to support, through legislative actions, efforts which will further the fight against corruption in Akwa Ibom.
Also Speaking, Governor Udom Emmanuel said corruption in the state is "extremely minimal". He pointed our that the participants at the summit are drawn from the three arms of government.
Also at the summit were the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Prof. Sola Akinrinade, members of the state executive council led by the Akwa Ibom state Governor, members of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, members of the state judiciary led by the state Chief Judge Hon. Justice Steven Okon, and representatives from other anticorruption agencies as well as the Foundation for Transperency and Accountability.
The theme of the summit is Transperency and Accountability.
About aktrending
0 comments :
Post a Comment