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The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related
offences Commission (ICPC) on Tuesday called on employees of the
Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to shun corruption.

Speaking at the second Anti-Corruption Transparency
monitoring Unit (ACTU) sensitisation workshop held at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Sampson Iroka, desk
officer for the commission, disclosed that Nigeria will only move
forward when her citizens frown against corrupt activities.

Fundamental problem

Referring to President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement
at the recent presidential retreat, Mr. Iroka explained that greed is
one primary reason why Nigerians engage in dishonest conducts,
stressing that the situation has also led to FAAN’s inability to
improve on the aging facilities at the country’s international airports.

“Just as the president said recently, the major
fundamental problem of every Nigerian is greed, and unless we shun it,
corruption will persist,” he said. “We must not only attribute
corruption to our leaders, but whether you are a teacher, clerk, or
junior staff, you must desist from every form of corruption, otherwise
there we are heading nowhere.”

According to the ICPC representative, Nigeria did not
record any convicted corrupt senior public office personnel for about
forty years after independence, adding that the situation is
responsible the country’s slow pace.

“Since the establishment of the Act, between 1960 and
2000, you will agree with me that there was no known name of any top
public service officer convicted of corruption in Nigeria. Does it mean
that none of them was corrupt? No,” he said. “This country would not
have been where it is today if no public officer during those times is
guilty of corruption.”

Admitting corruption

Edward Olarerin, regional manager Southwest for the
airports authority, also said corruption must be addressed if
facilities at the nation’s airports are to witness any meaningful
improvement, adding that it is frustrating that facilities at the
airports continue to decay despite the huge sum of money the agency is
supposedly making.

“It will be very wrong for me to say there is no
corruption in Murtala Mohammed International Airport. We generate so
much but we don’t get this money. It is frustrating for me when I
cannot produce what I generate in MMIA. It is even more frustrating
when you generate 100 per cent and you cannot collect 40 per cent due
to some unseen forces,” he said.

Mr. Olarerin disclosed that only the management of the authority cannot eradicate the vice.

“Corruption is also exhibited among the lower staff; hence it has
hierarchy not just with the top level workers,” he said. “Let just join
hands to move FAAN forward, for there is no place where only the
management can eradicate corruption so let all workers and stakeholders
and the media assist in this fight against corruption.”