Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has charged Nigerian youths to join the fight against corruption because their future depends on it.
Osinbajo spoke at the public presentation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Integrity and Zero Tolerance Clubs manual, which took place at the assembly hall of the Model Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday.
The vice president also reminded the corrupt that though the wheel of justice grinds slowly, justice would definitely be served.
According to him, “There is no time bar or statute of limitation against a crime. A man who steals this year can be arrested in 10 years’ time for his crimes. So when you steal, you cannot sleep with both eyes closed because every knock at the door will get you worried.”
The Vice president who was the special guest of honour, said it was important to recognise that integrity, honesty, trustworthiness were crucial individual and collective attributes for successful people and communities, noting that every corrupt act was not just a crime, but a crime against the society and even children yet unborn.
“Every public officer who steals robs the Nigerian society of funds for health care, education and so on.
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“In our integrity clubs, we must become policemen against corruption and wrongdoing
“Whether it is a member of government or a shop assistant or your friend in class who is cheating, they destroy our reputation”, he said.
“I want to say to the young people in Nigeria that you represent the army that will fight corruption not because somebody has pushed you or because it seems like a nice thing to do, no, because your future depends on it. The reputation of your country is all at your arm. And those who destroy the reputation of your country are not doing you good, they are doing you great evil. You must ensure that you join the army to fight corruption, to fight dishonesty.” he added.
He commended the EFCC Chairman for the initiative. “The greatest challenge which we face currently is how to safeguard the youth from the ethical crisis and confusion confronting our nation,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa said the clubs were designed not only to improve children and youth understanding and sensitivity to the issue of economic and financial crimes, but also promote integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability.
“The manuals which are being unveiled today are viable templates that will ensure that our children and youth are exposed to impactful and life transforming values in an organised and sustainable manner.
“They will serve as a guide to all actors that have roles to play in molding the characters of this young population in various schools and also offer the Commission a framework for quality assurance and control”, he said.
“We believe that the EFCC Integrity Club and Zero Tolerance Club adds a welcome variety to the learning experience of our children and youth with long-term potential as a catalyst for the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria. They present an exciting potential to arrest the drift of young people to criminality by fortifying their moral fibre at the cradle of character formation,” he added.
en you steal, you cannot sleep with both eyes closed because every knock at the door will get you worried.”
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