Don Advises Yar'Adua On Anti-Corruption War - Daily Champion

28 November 2007
Posted to the web 28 November 2007
Erasmus Alaneme
Abuja

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has been urged to go tough on corruption and corrupt officials in the country by matching his words with action and give support to the Judiciary and the Nigerian Police to stamp his name in history.

Prof. Catherine Acholonu, a former presidential aide under the Obasanjo-led administration who made the call while speaking to journalists in Abuja, pointed out that Nigerian women were still in shock following the actions of the former Speaker of the House, Hon. Olubunmi Etteh which led to her removal recently.

Prof. Acholonu who is the President of the Movement For Gender Parity (MGP), stated that when it comes to the issue of corruption, women like men are human beings adding that the problem of corruption must not be treated based on gender.

She said that President Yar'Adua must prove to the whole world his commitment to the fight against corruption by going tough on anybody caught or fingered in any type of corrupt practice.

According to her "we are saying that corruption should be uprooted wherever it is found, whether it is found among men or among women. We are speaking on behalf of our country women and we support Mr. President's efforts to stamp out corruption no matter whose ox is gored. We are saying that we should attack corruption at its root and not only at its end but at the root of it". "We are saying that they must start at the point where choices are being made as to who would occupy which position. If you appoint people who have proven integrity, if you appoint people who have proved themselves in whatever positions they have occupied in the last, we will end up with more good functionaries and not corrupt officials at every level". She further said "but when you remove or leave people with proven integrity and you appoint people with questionable integrity and in some cases, people who have been indicted for one crime or the other in the course of their national life and you give them appointment again, what are you trying to prove?," she queried.

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