Former President John Dramani Mahama has described corruption as an instrument of murder.
According to him, it can be described as such because its effects can be catastrophic and lead to life loss.
During his keynote address at the 53rd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in Ilorin, Nigeria, the former President called on Nigerians to support the government’s efforts in promoting transparency and fighting corruption across all sectors of the economy.
“Corruption can be described as an instrument of murder because its effects can lead to loss of citizens’ lives due to deprivation of critical public infrastructure and services. Surveyors, Architects, and Engineers who sign off on poorly constructed or shoddy infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, buildings, and railways can lead to loss of lives due to fatal accidents.”
“Because corruption is a global challenge, its scope and seriousness have led to calls for a worldwide response and cooperation in the fight against it. Corruption is an economic malady. It means different things in different contexts, but, my brothers and sisters, whichever form it takes and no matter the context, corruption is a feature of poor governance and ethics in both public and private sectors.”
Mr Mahama stressed the significance of tackling corruption, whether it is prevalent in the public or private sector, as it directly impacts the well-being of the nation. He emphasized that corruption thrives when institutions responsible for combating it are ineffective.
“Graft thrives due to the layered irresponsibility of institutions and state actors that must fight it. The World Bank explains corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain in the public sector. On the other hand, Transparency International (TI) says corruption within the private sector is the misuse of entrusted power for personal gain. Whichever way you visualise it, corruption must be fought whether it occurs in the public or private sector,” he noted.
The former president also expressed his belief that individuals involved in endorsing contracts for substandard infrastructure contribute to the economic decline. He urged stakeholders in Nigeria and Africa as a whole to unite in the fight against corruption in all its forms.
Mr Mahama further advocated for the implementation of asset declaration mechanisms as a powerful tool in combating corruption.
“We are yet to maximise the potential of asset valuation as a tool for nation-building and anti-corruption. Let us constantly strive to improve and enforce existing global anti-corruption conventions designed to curtail the negative impacts of corruption on national economies.”
“In addition to the Institution’s efforts, Estate Surveying and Valuation Companies must adhere to laws and standards and take internal steps to prevent corruption in asset valuation. Please also partner with the government to implement global standards and national professional codes of conduct and standards.”
“Finally, the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers must champion efforts to enhance real-time data availability, improve technology adoption for land and real estate services online, and formulate relevant legislation for property management.”
