PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday has reiterated his commitment to the fight against corruption, saying there is no hiding place for corrupt persons in the country.
The president disclosed this on the nation’s Twitter handle @Presidency Nigeria on Tuesday, noting that his administration would continually ensure that no government financial transaction is carried out in secret.
He said, “All are subjected to public scrutiny.
“My resolve is to ensure that reforms are deepened such that there will be no hiding place for corrupt persons and proceeds of corruption.
“The objective of this administration is to institute a level of transparency in governance mainly through information technology platforms.
“Just as advanced democracies and some developing countries, I am determined that within a short period, citizens would be able to follow core government operations online,” Buhari said.
The president highlighted several programs his administration had put in place to entrench transparency and accountability since his assumption of office.
Buhari said the federal government had signed up for Open Government Partnership (OGP), and developed a National Action Plan for implementation as well as developed a National Anti-Corruption Strategy (an adaptation of UN Convention Against Corruption).
He also reiterated the Nigeria’s committed participation in the Global Forum for Asset Recovery (GFAR) and has witnessed a determined implementation of reforms relating to revenue and expenditure management.
He said Government Integrated, Financial & Management Information System (GIFMIS); Integrated Payroll & Personnel Information System (IPPIS); Treasury Single Account (TSA); Bank Verification Number (BVN) were parts of the programs implemented by his government.
The president also stated that the Issuance of Executive Orders, such as Preservation of Suspicious Assets Connected with Corruption (Executive Order 6); Presidential Assent to Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Act 2018; and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2018 were notable feat of his leadership.
Buhari added that the “Launch of the Open Treasury Portal, mandating all MDAs to publish daily reports of payments from N5m; monthly budget performance; quarterly financial statements; and annual financial statements prepared in compliance with IPSAS; increasing number of Asset Recovery cases successfully initiated by Nigeria in cooperation with other countries under the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) framework” cannot go unnoticed.
“Nigeria’s active participation in global anti-corruption platforms means that the country is subjecting itself to periodic review of its progress in implementing the articles of conventions thus the fight against corruption,” the president said.