As World Anti Corruption Day is being celebrated on every 9th of December, The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), a group,
“Community Heritage Watch for Development Initiative”, has marked the day in Akure with a media and stakeholders engagement on anti corruption.
While addressing the newsmen in Akure, the Director of Community Heritage Watch for Development Initiative, Mr Julius Adeosun noted that the SCALE project is a 5year project being entered by palladium and its resource partners with funds from USAID.
He added that it is designed to enhance Local Civil Society Organization ability to be positive and responsible change agents in Nigeria.
Adeosun however, called on political class to make public offices less attractive and be more human in their dealings and operations.
“The issue of inclusiveness and people living with disabilities should be a concern for government because they are an important part of us. The principle of collegiality states that anything that touches all, must be discussed and approved by all.
“Leave nobody behind on the issue on ground, translate documents into Yoruba and dialects for the local people to understand”.
“Our government must make our streets a bit more welcoming, the communities in the Niger Delta where the oil comes must experience a transformation which is incomparable. I thereby suggest to the government to allocate 60% of the oil derivation fund to the host communities you take care of the environmental issue in the communities”.
According to Mr Oyegoke, the steps to be taken to make sure that government is transparent are: Educate the public about their right and the people in the river rine communities about their needs and their rights how they can demand for it from the government and also, go to government areas to influence policies and programs.
He stressed that the group would also make sure that Government to release fund at the appropriate time to back up the programs that has been designed for the state and particularly, for the oil producing areas, would also ensure proper monitoring of projects in that area.
The group called on Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state to give more proper account of how revenue accruing to the oil producing state was spent since inception of his administration in the state.
The World Anti-Corruption Day is celebrated every year on the 9th of December, to raise public awareness about the evils of corruption and its effect on societies.
Adeosun, however, said the group was working to ensure that the Ondo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Commission (OSOPADEC) spent 60 percent of its budget on oil producing communities.
According to him, “Our government must make our streets a bit more welcoming, the communities in the Niger Delta where the oil comes must experience a transformation which is incomparable.
“I thereby suggest to the government to allocate 60 per cent of the oil derivation fund to the host communities to take care of the environmental issues in the communities.
“There should be a release of fund at the appropriate time. The people need to be mobilise to monitor projects. Policies about oil communities should be put into effect and there is need to sensitise and educate the people.
“As we celebrate the 2022 anti-corruption day, both the government and the people must be proactive about our environment especially our leaders.”
