Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged Nigerians to lend their support to the government's efforts in promoting transparency and combating corruption across all sectors of the economy.
Mr. Mahama made this appeal during his address at the 53rd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers held in Ilorin, Nigeria on Thursday.
Emphasizing the importance of addressing corruption, Mr. Mahama asserted that it must be confronted whether it permeates the public or private sector, as it directly affects the nation's welfare.
He highlighted that corruption thrives when the institutions responsible for combating it fail to function effectively.
Furthermore, Mr. Mahama expressed his belief that individuals who endorse contracts leading to substandard infrastructure contribute to the economic deterioration. He urged stakeholders in Nigeria and Africa as a whole to unite and defeat corruption in all its forms.
Additionally, he advocated for the implementation of asset declaration mechanisms as a means to combat corruption.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Governor of Kwara, Mr. Kayode Alabi, acknowledged corruption as a pervasive issue that hampers growth and development.
Mr. Alabi encouraged estate surveyors to collaborate with government entities at all levels to bolster their operations and contribute to the fight against corruption.
Earlier, President JohnBull Amayevbo of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers underscored the serious impact of corruption on economic progress and national development.
He pledged the institution's commitment to collaborating with government agencies in order to minimize corruption.
The conference, themed "Asset Valuation As A Global Anti-Corruption Tool: The Nigeria Experience," is aimed at exploring methods by which asset valuation can serve as an effective tool in combating corruption both in Nigeria and on a global scale.