By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
Alongside their counterparts in Nigeria and the world, the Anambra State Anti-Corruption Strategy (ANSACS) in partnership with the Anambra State Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/ Media Accountability and Anti-Corruption Initiative (CMAAI) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC),
today, Tuesday, December 9, took to the major roads of Awka, Anambra State, on a campaign against corruption, a canckerworm, which findings say undermines democracy, erodes trusts in institutions, slows down economic development and destroys human development.
The road walk which kicked off from the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka to the Jerome Udorji Secretariat, Awka, to the Federal Secretariat Complex, Awka, to Aroma Junction, Awka to Solution Motor Park, Awka and ended at Anambra Broadcasting Service Premises, Awka, was part of the activities to mark the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) Celebration on the theme- “Uniting With Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”.
Goodness Media reports that the Annual International Anti-Corruption Day Celebration, established by the United Nations, is celebrated every 9th December to conscientise the people worldwide about the dangers of corruption as well as sensitise them on the need to promote integrity, transparency and accountability in the public and private lives.
The campaigners who were seen with placards with various inscriptions such as “Say No to Corruption”, “Stop Extortion”, “Integrity is Not Just a Virtue, It is A Responsibility”, “Spread Integrity, Stop Corruption”, ” Corruption Hurts, Let’s Work Together To Stop It” and Empowering Citizens Fighting Corruption”, among others, in the course of the road show sensitised the public on the dangers of corruption, as well as the need to fight the menace from within and join hands to eradicate it.
Speaking at the commencement of the road show, the Anambra State Project Coordinator of Rule of Law and Anti Corruption, Dr Josephine Onah, said the theme of the 2025 Commemoration of IACD, was to enable the youths to play what she described as their generational responsibility in the fight against corruption.
The Anambra RoLAC boss urged all to consciously engage the youths in the crusade against corruption, saying that with the engagement, youths, who she described as actors and innovators, would play their part towards achieving a corrupt-free and egalitarian society.
For her part, the Anambra State Coordinator of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/Media Accountability and Anti-Corruption Initiative (CMAAI), Mrs Ugochi Freeman, stressed the nees for every one to do the right thing at all times whether being seen or not so as to possibly join hands and wipe corruption away from Anambra State so as to make the state a corrupt free and egalitarian society that would bring about boisterous economy and improved human development.
At the Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex, Awka and the Federal Secretariat Complex, civil servants and political office holders were advised against certain corrupt practices such as lateness to work, absent from work, receiving of worker’salaries without doing the work, praying when you were supposed to be attending to your job at the office, signing attendance register for people who were yet to come to work, gratification, falsification of age, attending to people with disrepect and insisting of bribes before they attend to files on their desks, among others.
This was even traders were sensitised against corrupt practices such as excessive gains, extortion in any form and trading with lies and deceits.
At the Solution Park, road transport workers were sensitised against corrupt practices such as extortion in the name season, abuse of passengers, poor maintenance of transportation vehicles, bribing of security operatives on the roads, uamong others.
Town hall meeting which had many stakeholders in attendance, and held at Finotel Classic Hotels, Awka, followed the road walk.
