Anti-Corruption Drive: AGF Advocates Moral Values in Youth Mentorship
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has called for the fostering and integrating of anti-corruption values into the nations educational curriculum; promote national value orientation, and establish anti-corruption clubs and mentorship programmes.
He said such frameworks would encourage youth participation in governance and decision-making processes, leverage on ICT resources to enhance transparency, monitoring including whistleblowing as well as awareness about corruption.
Similarly, member agencies of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2022 – 2026 have harped on the fight against corruption by providing holistic approach and seek to develop and implement mechanisms aimed at improving governance of public institutions
Fagbemi, who made the call yesterday in Abuja as the keynote speaker at the 2024 Inter Agency Task Team (IATT) International Anti- Corruption Day, said the youths in the government must also serve as true ambassadors and exhibit high sense of probity and honesty.
With the theme titled: ‘Uniting with youths against corruption: Shaping tomorrow’s integrity’, Fagbemi noted that aside ongoing law enforcement efforts, Nigerians must frontally address the root causes of the engagement of youths in cybercrime, internet fraud and other corruption-related crimes.
Lamenting that corruption erodes the fabric of any society, stifles progress and deprives the young of educational opportunities, job prospects, engagement in public life, success in sports, access to healthcare and other essential services, he reiterated that fight against corruption is collective and energy, passion and determination must be harnessed to achieve a desirable future.
He said: “The youths of Nigeria are trailblazers and dynamic forces reckoned with globally. They are intelligent, passionate, and brimming with innovative ideas. It is imperative that we harness their energy and enthusiasm to drive positive change.
“While it is true that young people are often caught in the web of corruption, however, they must be inspired and supported to be powerful agents of change in the fight for a future rooted in integrity.
“The youths in government must also serve as true ambassadors and exhibit high sense of probity and honesty. Aside ongoing law enforcement efforts, we must frontally address the root causes of the engagement of youths in cybercrime, internet fraud and other corruption-related crimes.”
In the same vein, Head of Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms, TUGAR, Jane Onwumere, in her speech, disclosed that the Inter-Agency Task Team [IATT] is the coordinating forum of agencies with anti-corruption and accountability mandates.
She added that the NACS 2022 -2026 also promotes ethical orientation for improved personal ethics and ethical conduct in nation building to guide citizens from cradle to the grave.
