February 22, 2015 – Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola at the explained that unless Nigerian leaders live above board by imbibing and showing high level of moral authority it will be difficult to stop the menace of corruption threatening to ruin the country.
Fashola who made the observation at an interactive session with State House Correspondent noted that though the concept of corruption is multi-faceted, theft constitutes worst part of the menace.
Fashola said though corruption is a heinous crime capital punishment will not stop it.
“I have my own views that I have expressed consistently about corruption and I have always said corruption is the symptom of a more serious problem.
“There are so many levels of corruption and I think the Nigerian people or nation must reach an agreement about what we want to do about corruption. When we say we must stop corruption who is ready to lead by example? Corruption is not only taking money that is stealing and it is corruption and I disagree that stealing is not corruption.
“If you are driving against traffic , though it is an infraction against the traffic law to get to where you do not deserve, it is corruption. If you go to the commissioner to get a promotion for your sister before promotion examination in the ministry, is that fair? These are cases of corruption. Can you sentence somebody to death for that?
“So I don’t think sentencing people to jail or death is the answer to the problem of corruption. The answer first is to provide enough for people and to lead them with a moral authority that is everybody knows that it is bad to cheat and when they break the rules that there will be consequences.”
The governor said that unless the leadership demonstrate that kind of example no nation can enforce all the provisions of its laws if the people don’t voluntarily comply.
“The whole idea therefore is that it is the leadership that inspire people to comply, so that, enforcement is reduced to the barest minimum.”
The governor said utterances credited to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje in the wake of intense politicking in the state seemed to suggest that he has been disconnected from the society, pointing out that after denying he is not a tax defaulter he has finally gone to pay N500,000 .
“After denying that JK is not Jimi Agbaje he has gone to pay N500, 000 out of the N1.6 million .He is still owing the government . He published some receipt, so it is true now that he is owing some money. He must pay because that money belongs to the Local Government.
According to him, “He is not prepared to lead and he cannot lead , I am surprised at the level preparation after eight years and if you look at his records from his business, he has not grown his business. If look at my records , either as the Chief of Staff, go to the Chief of Staff’s office I added value when I took over from Alhaji Lai Mohammed I added value, that is what leaders do , they add values to what they meet.
“If you look at my records from when I took over from Governor Tinubu I have added value. I have added more roads more schools, more hospitals, I have increased the revenues, we have employed more people in the public service. I have raised salaries. I implemented the pension law. The job is not finished. I have never pretended that the job is finished.
“That is why I said the person I trust to continue from where I stop is Akinwunmi Ambode. And if you look at his own records too he has moved from a council treasurer to Local Government Auditor General, later to Accountant General that is how it must be. What has his opponent grown from? Those are the issues.”
He assured that the mile 12 – Ikorodu Road will be completed before the end of his administration, explain that the major construction work has been completed.
Earlier, the chairman of the Lagos State Governor’s Office Correspondents(LAGOCO) Mr. Joshua Bassey lauded the governor on his giant strides as the state’s helmsman , urging him to ensure that there is state is free from violence as the nation prepares for general elections
