Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said it was an error to think that corruption pays.
Osinbajo said this at the unveiling of the Operation Manuals for Integrity and Zero Tolerance Clubs organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, many who thinks they can get away with corruption, are often surprised that the long arm of the law even if sometimes slow, eventually catch up with them.
“There is no time bar or statute of limitation against a crime. A man who steals this year can be arrested in 10 years time for his crimes.
“So when you steal, you cannot sleep with both eyes closed because every knock at the door will get you worried.
“Which is why the establishment of integrity clubs in schools is so important,” he said.
The Vice President said it was important to first recognise that integrity, honesty, trustworthiness were crucial individual and collective attributes for successful people and communities.
Osinbajo added that every corrupt act was not just a crime, but a crime against the society and even children yet unborn.
“Every public officer who steals robs the Nigerian society of funds for health care, education and so on.
“In our integrity clubs, we must become policemen against corruption and wrongdoing
“Whether it is a member of government or a shop assistant or your friend in class who is cheating, they destroy our reputation,” the Vice President stated.
He further commended the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for the initiative, adding: “For realising that we must develop an anti corruption army. That army is waiting in our schools, and that we must teach them early that corruption is the worst destroyer of destinies and people.
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“And they must fight it as you fight a mortal enemy in war,” Osinbajo added.
Osinbajo stated that the conceptualisation of the manual deserved commendation and the establishment of the clubs in schools was timely.
“The greatest challenge which we face currently is how to safeguard the youth from the ethical crisis and confusion confronting our nation,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Bawa said the choice of school children and youths as torch bearer in this important crusade was formed by the fact that they were vulnerable to the effect of economic and financial crimes.
The EFCC boss stated that the anti-graft agency had designed programmes and activities aimed at nurturing a culture of integrity in the formative years of young Nigerians.
He noted that two of such programmes are the EFCC Integrity Club for primary and secondary schools and Zero Tolerance Club for tertiary institutions.
He added that the clubs were designed not only to improve children and youth understanding and sensitivity to the issue of economic and financial crimes, but also promote integrity, honesty, transparency and accountability.
“The manuals which are being unveiled today are viable templates that will ensure that our children and youth are exposed to impactful and life transforming values in an organised and sustainable manner.
“They will serve as a guide to all actors that have roles to play in molding the characters of this young population in various schools and also offer the Commission a framework for quality assurance and control.
“We believe that this Club adds a welcome variety to the learning experience of our children and youth with long-term potential as catalyst for fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria,” Bawa said.
The Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Nicholas Shehu, assured EFCC of the House readiness to provide legislation and adequate funding to ensure that they carry out their mandate.
Shehu, however, commended the EFCC for the initiative which aimed at taking the battle right to the grassroot and to the young ones so that when they grow up, they would appreciate that corruption has a negative impact on our country.
The Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes, Abdullahi Dutse, said the idea of catching them young was laudable.
“If all of us are brought the way the EFCC Chairman is doing now, probably there may not be less corruption as much as it is today. These young ones will grow up to be better citizens,” he said.
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