Failure to conclude high-profile corrupt cases a huge concern, says Obasanjo

Failure to conclude high-profile corrupt cases a huge concern, Obasanjo says

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the country’s failure to successfully prosecute high-profile corruption cases remains a great cause for concern both for citizens of the country and the international community.

Obasanjo stated this when he delivered an inaugural lecture entitled, “Leadership, Governance, and the Challenges of Development in Nigeria: The Way forward” and organised by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), in Abuja.

“Nigeria’s poverty, insecurity, lack of unity and cohesion, youth restiveness and seeming directionless are conscious and unconscious choices made by Nigerian leaders. The impact of corruption on the Nigerian society and economy has been devastating. It continues to affect the government’s ability to provide basic services and has negatively impacted on the well being of the population.

“The lack of successful prosecution of high-profile corruption cases involving some Politically-Exposed Persons is giving a serious cause for concern both for Nigerians and the international community. We must take away the proceeds of illicit enrichment and remove negative role models in our society,” he said.

He went further to say that the country must invest in areas that can improve human security including food, education, and health.

“Our budget must reflect a genuine commitment for the development of infrastructure such as roads, rails, power, ports and housing. When we spend 70 to 80 per cent of our revenue on recurrent expenditure, we have very little left for capital and infrastructural development,” he said.

Obasanjo added, “We should move to 50 per cent of our revenue being spent on capital development.”