From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Executive Director of Accountability Lab Global, Blaire Glenscore has argued that corruption was not peculiar to Nigeria, stating that even in the United Kingdom, people in high places perpetrate unimaginable fraud.
Glenscore, at a media parley at the weekend in Abuja, claimed that the United Kingdom UK aid corruption in Nigeria by allowing stolen wealth into its the country.
According to him, a lot of money stolen from Nigeria goes into banks in the UK which is used to buy properties there.
He suggested that there should be international cooperation between Nigeria and other countries to ensure that those leakages are blocked, and justice and accountability for law breakers.
“We need to try and engage in accountability mechanisms and use the different pathways that we have to try and fight corruption because we feel that corruption and a lack of accountability is really the cause of all of the other problems that we face globally.
“Corruption happens at all levels from top to bottom and it is certainly not just a Nigerian problem, it happens everywhere even in my country, the UK, it happens in the US. So there are different dynamics in different places,” he said.
He added that the fight against corruption should not be the sole responsibility of the federal government, but the responsibility of even the local governments.
“We need to address and then deal with many other symptoms like poverty, lack of education, lack of health services, and so on. It’s all at its core. about fighting corruption. And that has to happen at every level and internationally as well.
On his part, Country Director of Accountability Lab Global, Odey Friday said public consultations should be top priorities of the new government.
“Public consultation should be top on the list of the new government because we have seen what happened over the years in terms of engagements, where National Assembly members, bills been passed, laws have been made at the high level without consultation from citizens, we think that should change in this current regime,” he said.
