By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that between 2006 and 2013, 55 people, including former 15 governors, four ex-ministers and some other people allegedly stole a total of N1.34 trillion in the country, an amount, he said, was more than a quarter of the 2015 national budget.
The minister said Nigerians must be made to know the damage corruption “has done to our nation, our people and our international image, how corruption stifles economic growth, hinders the fight against poverty,and leads to decay in infrastructure, among others”.
The minister, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, made the revelation while kick-starting the National Sensitisation Campaign Against Corruption.
“Out of the stolen funds, 15 former governors allegedly stole N146.84 billion; four former ministers allegedly stole N7 billion; 12 former public servants, both at federal and state levels, allegedly stole over N14 billion; eight people in the banking industry allegedly stole N524 billion, while 11 businessmen allegedly stole N653 billion.
“Using World Bank Rates and Costs, one third of the stolen funds could have provided 635.18 kilometres of road; built 36 ultra modern hospitals, that is one ultra modern hospital per state; built 183 schools; educated 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at 25.24 million per child; and built 20,062 units of two-bedroom houses. This is the money that a few people, just 55 in number, allegedly stole within a period of just eight years.
And instead of a national outrage, all we hear are these nonsensical statements that the government is fighting only the opposition, or that the government is engaging in vendetta.”
Mohammed appealed to the media to join hands with it in sensitising Nigerians to the damage that corruption has done to the nation, warning that unless Nigeria kills corruption, the vice is capable of killing Nigeria.
He also urged the media to replicate the support they are giving to the federal government in its ongoing National Security Awareness Campaign.
“Thanks for the support we have received from the media, especially in this (National Security) Sensitisation Campaign; I can now tell you that Nigerians have taken ownership of the war against terrorism and are also giving their undiluted support to our gallant military. I commend the media for heeding our patriotic call to duty at a critical time in the life of our nation.”
