‘Corruption Wiping Out Economic Gains’

The Centre for Social Justice yesterday lamented that the increasing level of corruption in the country is currently wiping out the gains which the economy had recorded in recent times.
The Transparency International Corruption Perception Index for 2013 rated Nigeria among the 34 most corrupt nation in the world.
In the report, Nigeria dropped from 139th position in 2012 to 144th in 2013.
But speaking at a workshop for Christian Clerics on fiscal governance, the Lead Director, CSJ, Mr. Eze Onyekwere said while some positive changes have been recorded, the group was deeply worried that Nigeria is headed in the wrong direction in fiscal governance.
He said instead of improvements in the standard of living, the country is witnessing deterioration.
For instance, he said that over 10 million children are out of school, adding that a lot of women are still dying during childbirth, and preventable diseases are still taking the lives of children in some parts of country.
He said, “Although, some positive changes have been recorded, we are deeply worried that Nigeria is headed in the wrong direction in fiscal governance and corruption is wiping out whatever gains that have been made.
“Legislators, members of the executive still appropriate incredible amounts of money to themselves – money that they do not actually need but simply to feed their greed.
“The more you engage and talk to them, the more you discover that you are pouring water on a rock that fails to absorb. They claim they are moving the nation forward but the nation is in reverse gear.”
He said as a result of these anomalies, the group decided to engage religious leaders as vehicles to take the message of fiscal prudence to the people since no religion supports corruption.