The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it will re-introduce anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools to sustain the campaign against corruption.
The ICPC Commissioner in Enugu State, Mr Sule Amedu, said this on Thursday during the Inter-Secondary School Anti-corruption Debate among selected schools in the state.
The debate, entitled ‘Prevention of Corruption is Better than Enforcement’, was organized by a non-governmental organization, called Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC), in collaboration with the ICPC.
Amedu, who was represented by the Head, Education, and Public Enlightenment, Mr Godwin Achile, said that it had become necessary to fight corruption through literary exercises.
He said that the commission had no option than to enlist the collaboration of students whom, he said, were worse hit by the effect of corruption.
He said that it would no longer be business as usual for those who had long sabotaged the future of young Nigerians.
“Those stealing our collective wealth should understand that it is no longer business as usual.
“This literary exercise will afford us the opportunity to collectively take a stand against corruption,” Amedu said.
Earlier, the Regional Director of GSAC, Mrs Amaka Nweke, said that the competition was aimed at inculcating moral values in the students.
Nweke said that the exercise would also provide a platform for young people to participate actively in the fight against corruption and other vices in the academic community.
She listed cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse, sexual harassment, vandalism, truancy, loitering and extortion as some of the vices.
She said that the exercise was an indication that the anti-graft agencies alone could not fight corruption.
She said that public enlightenment and youth mobilization were crucial for the crusade to succeed.
“Corruption should never be allowed to become an acceptable norm in our society and it is up to us to shoulder the responsibility of curbing it,” she said.
Nweke said that GSAC was championing a campaign, tagged ‘Save the Young Campaign’ in public and private primary and secondary schools in the country.
“This campaign is aimed at inculcating the right values in our students in order to have a generation of youths with integrity,” Nweke said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three secondary schools: Government Secondary School, GRA, Enugu; Command Day Secondary School, Abakpa and Early Dew Secondary School, Trans Ekulu participated in the debate.
Various speakers at the event were unanimous in the support for the introduction and use of civic education in secondary schools to curb corruption in the country.
At the end of the debate, Government Secondary School came top, followed by Command Day Secondary School. (NAN)
