War On Corruption Yet to be Won Despite Successes – SGF

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has said corruption still persists in the public service despite successes recorded by the president Muhammadu Buhari administration in eliminating it.

Speaking at ‘One-day dialogue session on strengthening the anti-corruption agenda: Ensuring accountability and transparency’ organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)in Abuja on Tuesday, Mustapha who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Amina Shamaki admitted the administration is yet to win the war on corruption.

“We should not rest on our oars with the illusion that the war has been won despite the level of the successes I have enumerated. While the fight has been very successful in tackling monumental corruption, less grandeur cases are perceived and even reported.

“While the government has displayed uncommon courage to relieve its appointees especially, in its agencies, of their positions and responsibilities, there still exist some level of infractions on Public Procurement Act, and other laws. These tend to diminish the efforts of government in this direction,” the SGF said.

“I should like to see the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation come up with innovative policies and measures to empower auditors to halt any payment that is clearly in breach of Public Procurement Act, Financial Regulations, Public Service Rules in particular, and other laws, in general.

“For such auditors that compromise, or are complicit, such policies and measures should isolate them for disciplinary action which should not preclude prosecution,” he added.