Northern youth, women groups trained on combatting corruption

The Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Mumbayya House, with support from MacArthur Foundation, has organized a capacity building workshop for youth and women groups in northern nigeria.

The theme of the workshop was “The role of youth and women groups in combating corruption in Nigeria” and participants were drawn from various youths and women groups from the nineteen northern states.

In his welcome address, the Director of the centre, Professor Haruna Wakili, said the workshop was one of series of activities of a three year project on combating corruption through interfaith platforms in Nigeria and youths and women groups were critical stakeholders, hence the training was essential.

Prof. Wakili said corruption is multidimensional and multifaceted, so the centre has chosen to fight corruption from the political angle. “So we fight corruption in governance and in politics.”

In his paper presentation, Professor Salisu Shehu, Secretary Islamic Forum of Nigeria, said the endemic problem of corruption in the society is what is preventing the country from getting good leaders.

“Corruption has become weapon of mass destruction to us. What will ensure that corruption is not perpetuated in society is you engage the youth, you sensitize them, you conscientise them, you educate them about the dangerous effects of corruption,” he said

On his part, Pastor, Dr James Movel Wuye of Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, believed that the lingering criminal activities, from insurgency in the northeast to the banditry in Zamfara and other northern states, was as a result of corruption on the part of the handlers.

“Those that are involved in curtailing these problems are benefitting from it financially, and that is why it is still occurring,” he said