Ranking of Nigeria by Transparency International Should Worry Nigerians – Bishop Onuoha

PETER OKORE, Umuahia

The President and founder of an Umuahia-based Radio station, Vision Africa International, Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, has said that failure of the government to prosecute those found culpable of corruption, has continued to portray Nigeria in bad light.

He observed that corruption in Nigeria is fought only on papers, pointing out that there are whole lot of issues that have been swept under the carpet.

According to the Cleric,” if the country can adopt a more holistic approach in the fight against corruption, she save herself from this dent and embarrassment of being named always as a corrupt nation.”

Bishop Onuoha was reacting to the recent ranking by the Global anti-corruption coalition, Transparency International, which placed Nigeria 154 out of 180 corrupt countries in the world.

It will be recalled that in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index released by the TI recently, Nigeria dropped five places, scoring 24 out of 100 points in the index.

Nigeria was also rated the second most corrupt country in West Africa, after Guinea.

Reacting to the development in a statement he issued in Umuahia, titled “I Hope Corruption Does Not Kill Nigeria”, Bishop Onuoha who is also Co-Chair Interfaith Dialogue forum for Peace, wondered why corruption in Nigeria has continued to be a hydra-headed monster despite pledges made by past and current administrations to fight it to a standstill.

He particularly called on public office -holders to adopt new approach in their dealings with the masses who elected them, stressing that their inability to run their offices with openness by giving the people what is due them has further fuelled agitations among the people who see themselves as being shortchanged by those they elected to represent their interests.

The Global Peace Award Winner 2013, however, expressed hope that Nigeria and her people can still turn a corrupt-free country if those at the helm of affairs disengage in selective corruption trial of few individuals while exonerating others accused of corruption.