allergic to corruption

ABUJA -President Muhammadu Buhari,
Wednesday , said it was a national disgrace that
most states of the federation couldn't pay

salaries of their workers.
The President said this while addressing State
House staff, who gathered at the forecourt of
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to formally welcome
him back from his vacation in London.
Vanguard learned that
this would be the first
time ever a President
would be addressing
State House staff.
Giving highlights of the
journey so far, the
President told the
workers that the
economy was down
and that agriculture
which used to be the
mainstay of the
country was the only
alternative now.
Blaming the failure of
past administrations to
save during the boom times of high prices of
crude oil, the President decried the inability of
many states to pay workers’ salaries, describing
it as a national disgrace.
His words: “27 out of the 36 states couldn’t pay
salaries. This is a disgrace to Nigeria. It is a
disgrace. Up till now, most of the states cannot
pay salaries. What happened to all we have got
over the years? We look up and down, left, right
and centre, what have we saved? There was
nothing because we developed a consumption
culture that we were not supposed to develop.
“Most of your colleagues that have left service, I
doubt if they are getting benefits. That is the
situation we find ourselves in.
“You know we have gone through a lot of change
over the past year. We met 42 ministries and we
found out the economy cannot take it because
of the ineptitude in place. We have turned
ourselves to a mono-economy, depending only on
oil.
“Most people threw away their farms and solid
minerals equipment and rushed to the city to
collect oil money and enjoy. What used to be an
average of $100 from 1999 to 2014 went down
to $30. What should concern us and the rest of
the Nigerian elite is how we can continue to
sustain ourselves in terms of materials and
security.”
Agriculture, our only alternative
“What I am asking Nigerians really is: What is
our alternative? Our immediate alternative is
agriculture and solid minerals.
“That was why we voted a lot of money for
agriculture so that we can at least feed
ourselves. Once we can feed ourselves, we can
say okay, let the struggle continue. At least we
can eat two to three meals per day.
“We have to quickly go back to the farm. It is
too late for this year. But next year, we will
make a better arrangement to make sure next
year, we can feed ourselves.”
I’m allergic to corruption
The President also reiterated his resolve to fight
corruption to a standstill, vowing that all
fraudulent acts in Nigeria must stop.
Stern and unequivocal in his speech, President
Buhari warned the staff and, indeed, Nigerians
across all disciplines to cultivate the right
attitude and eschew all manner of fraudulent
acts, stressing that jail awaits anyone found
culpable.
Recalling his days back in secondary school,
President Buhari said he had always been
allergic to corruption and will deal decisively with
anyone who indulged in any illicit deals.
The President, who also emphasized personal
integrity, urged the workers to be conscious of
stigmatization which may bring shame to their
families.
He said that ridding Nigeria of corruption was
necessary to secure a better country for
posterity.
He said: “I thank you for welcoming me back
from my health break. You are the judges,
perhaps I look healthier than I left or I came
worse.
“All fraud must stop. If they don’t believe us,
they should go, try and see those we caught red
handed with public funds. This exercise will
continue as long as this leadership is here.
Whoever takes anything that does not belong to
him or that he is not entitled to, it will be
documented and the person will be taken to
court. This is the only way I think we can bail
ourselves out. I am asking you to dedicate
yourselves more to your country because I said
more than 30 years ago, there is no other
country but Nigeria.
We must rehabilitate our country
“We are determined to rehabilitate our country
for the sake of our children and our
grandchildren. I have never in my life from class
monitor to this place, twice in different forms,
believed in corruption. In what we are doing, if
we had made mistakes along the line, the
country would have been further backward than
this. But we don’t touch anybody who did not
touch public funds.
“You should behave yourself. If you don’t have
houses in Abuja and the whole of Europe, you
will sleep soundly. You and your family will earn
respect. But if you shortchange the treasury, you
will be caught and I pity your family because
people will be abusing them. People will be
calling you big thieves, that how did you raise
money to build all the houses in Abuja and
Europe with your meagre salary.
“I think personal integrity is something to be
encouraged. I assure you that I am absolutely
dedicated to serve Nigeria. Those who behave
themselves will never regret, but those who don’t
behave themselves, na their problem.”
Change must come to Nigeria
Speaking on anti-terrorism war in Nigeria,
President Buhari said remarkable achievements
had been recorded so far.
He stated that the change his party, the All
Progressives Congress, APC, promised to
Nigerians must eventually come, despite the
present challenges.
“On the insecurity in the North-East, the army
has made a lot of remarkable improvements, no
matter what anybody wants to say.
Unfortunately, there is the other unstable part of
the country, the Niger Delta, with their myriads
of organizations that are competing over which
one can do more damage to the country and the
oil companies and oil wells. For how long are we
going to do this?
“It is not easy to preach change when people
are used to something from 1999 till now. The
change must take place because, as I said, we
were used to getting $100 per barrel...this
reflects on the economic predicament the
country finds itself.
“This has affected the morale and integrity of a
lot of people who bother to ask what is
happening to their country. The fact that you
work here, no matter what level, people expect
you to know and they expect you to discuss with
them intelligently and show your concern for your
country and what we are going to leave for our
children and grandchildren. Let’s not lose the
opportunity for the future so that we can build
infrastructure.”
Past leaders failed in power sector
The President who also decried the epileptic
power situation in the country, regretted that
past administrations failed Nigeria in the power
sector.
“Look at power. How much did we spend on
power? From barbers to factories, shops, we all
depend on power. There is virtually no
improvement from 1999 till now no matter how
many billions they have spent,” he said.