Africa must seek solution to corruption

As corruption ravages Africa, the African
Ambassadors Group in Nigeria has charged leaders to implement African
convention on corruption.

 

 

Members of the African Diplomatic Group in Nigeria, comprises of some foreign missions.

 

The group also urged African countries yet to ratify the convention to do so without further delay.

 

Dean of the African Ambassadors Group in
Nigeria and Ambassador of Cameroon, Salaheddine Ibrahim, spoke on behalf
of the group and noted that only 39 countries have ratified the
convention.

 

He commended Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari for championing the war against corruption in the continent.

 

He was speaking over the weekend at an event organised to commemorate the 2018 African Day in Abuja.

 

Ibrahim said, “We recognise President
Muhammadu Buhari’s special contributions to the fight against corruption
not only in Nigeria but, also his pledge to this fight in all the fora
in the world.

A special appreciation has to be made to
him for having accepted to serve as champion of the African union for
the theme of the year.

 

“The AU has put in place legal and policy
framework notably the African convention on preventing and combating
corruption. The convention has currently received 39 ratifications.
Increase impetus is required to be able to achieve
universal ratification.

 

“It is not just a matter of ratifying but
after that we have to ensure that the implementation of the corruption
convention is enhanced at the member states level not only at the AU
level.”

 

He stated that the declaration of 2018 as
the African anti-corruption year provides further opportunities for the
consolidation of gains in the fight against corruption and enhance
regional and international cooperation in dealing
with corruption with a view to mobilise Africa as a whole in the fight
against corruption.

 

Ibrahim urged key actors such as
anti-corruption agencies, parliamentarians, civil society organisations,
the media, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, women and youth in
member states to do everything to eradicate corruption
in the continent.

 

He said the African day is a day set
aside to collectively to celebrate Africa’s unity and reconfirm the
desire for an integrated, united, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

 

“For that date our leaders adopted important initiatives aimed at deepening Africa’s integration”, he said.

 

Some of the major initiatives he listed
include; the Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, Protocol
establishing the African Economic Community, which relates to Free
Movement of Persons, Rights of Residence and Rights of Establishment
and the Single Air Transport Market, which automatically allows carrier
of one African country to fly to another without hindrance.

 

“These noble initiatives would ensure
that African integration is people driven and delivers tangible results
for the improvement of people’s lives”, he added.

 

The African Day is usually observed on
the May 25 every year but was postponed to September 14 and 15, due to
several activities held in May of 2018, including the observance of the
Holy Month of Ramadan.