President Muhammadu Buhari says corruption has continued to thrive in the civil service because of nepotism, cronyism, political patronage as well as lack of transparency and accountability.
Buhari stated this while addressing the awardees Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service (NEAPS) on Friday.
The President urged public servants and people in leadership positions to ensure they shun such vices and embrace decent virtues so as to be counted among those who distinguished themselves in service.
The president conferred Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service (NEAPS) on former President Goodluck Jonathan and 43 other prominent Nigerians.
He said leaders in the private and public sectors should be more mindful of their positions as “trustees of the people”, urging them to always work towards leaving a legacy that will be long remembered.
Buhari, who said public service is a position of trust and all employees must be accountable to the people they serve, advised all public servants to always display the attributes of patriotism, loyalty and efficiency.
He said if the law and institutional mechanisms for holding public officers and civil servants accountable are not properly enforced, it will give the wrong signal to the public.
