President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his administration’s position on fighting corruption. President Buhari made this known while hosting the US Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, at the presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday. Buhari said, “We will insist on the standards we’re establishing. We are laying down administrative and financial instructions in the public service that must be obeyed. Any breach will no longer be acceptable. We will retrain our staff, so that they understand the new orientation. And those who run foul of these rules will be prosecuted, no matter who is involved. But we will be fair, just and act according to the rule of law. Anyone perceived corrupt is innocent till we can prove it. We will work very hard to establish documentation for successful prosecution, and those in positions of trust will sit up.”
Meanwhile, briefing State House Correspondents after a meeting with Kerry, the four governors of Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar; Borno, Kashim Shetimma; Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed; and Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal said the meeting featured discussions on insurgency among others. Shetimma who is the spokesman of the group briefed the press saying: “We had very fruitful, cross-pollination of ideas with the US Secretary of State, John Kerry. The issues we dwelled on enhancing the well being of our people and ensuring stability in the Nigerian nation. We discussed the issue of insurgency and other security challenges in all subregions of northern Nigeria . But fundamentally, we made him to realise that underneath the mayhem by Boko Haram lies the real cause which is poverty.
“And we called on him to come in with their American support in the areas of job creation largely in the areas of agriculture and minning. We spoke on education which is essential for any society because the whole world is becoming knowledge driven. We requested for support in the area of girl-child education and gender empowerment. And of course we sought for support in strengthening our health care facilicities and health insurance that will really enhance the values of lives of our people . Because most of our problems are issues that can be attended to at the primary health care level.
“And lastly, we discussed about renewable energy. Because power whether we like it or not is sin qua non for energy take off , no society can grow without adequate power support. So we requested for support in the area of renewable energy be in solar of wind. But the important thing is in spite of the advancement in science, nothing can replace personal contact in diplomacy. We were quite pleased by the warm reception and deep commitment to Nigeria by the Secretary of State and we are happy with the outcome.”
