Many will become discouraged in fight against corruption – Osinbajo

TRACKING____Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the fight against corruption will leave many discouraged in the coming days.

The VP disclosed this while speaking at the 20th-anniversary regional webinar organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC).

Speaking on the topic “Combating corruption and illicit financial flows: New measures and strategies”, Osinbajo said:

“The fight against corruption is nuanced and hydra-headed, it is not going to get easier by the day; as a matter of fact, it will get more difficult by the day and many will become discouraged in standing up against corruption.

“Over the years, massive public resources and assets have been directly stolen, diverted, deliberately misapplied to gratify corrupt tendencies, stashed in foreign jurisdictions or mired in and susceptible to pilferage by the inequitable and unjust international economic system that continues to undermine the social and economic development aspirations of poor countries, especially from Africa.

“Without effectively combating corruption and IFFs (Illicit Financial Flows) and promoting international cooperation for asset recovery and asset return, Africa cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 16 of the SDGs is devoted to corruption.

“Our experience in Nigeria, as in other developing countries, is that anonymous corporate ownership covers a multitude of sins, including conflict of interests, corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.”

He also called for the protection of whistle-blowers which according to him will help the country win the war against corruption.

“We must protect those who are ready to fight against corruption and who are prepared to do so without necessarily disclosing their identities and even those who are ready to disclose their identities.

“We must make corruption expensive for those who engage in it and send the unequivocal message that corruption simply does not pay.

“It is the unenviable but noble task of the ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies to make corruption unattractive to its disciples and facilitate new approaches to stemming IFFS and promoting asset recovery and return.”

“The thing that we must take note of is that corruption fights back. And it is fighting back and it has the resources to do so.”