BudgIT Partners with US, Religious Leaders & Law Agencies to Launch Anti-Corruption Website
The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria in collaboration with BudgIT, a local NGO, recently launched Report Yourself, a web-based platform that leverages citizen engagement to fight corruption in Nigeria. The partnership to promote Report Yourself also includes the Religious Leaders Anti-Corruption (RLAC) working group and Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
This anti-corruption initiative is funded by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and was developed by BudgIT.
Oluseun Onigbinde, lead partner, BudgIT, said the platform is “what we see as our own way to fight corruption; Nigerians find corruption everywhere and it has “robbed us of prestige.”
Stanley Achonu, Operations Manager at BudgIT, said the initiative is an opportunity to collaborate with religious leaders to monitor the level of corruption at the grassroots.
“When the meeting with religious leaders was convened in January 2016, I was very happy to be a part of it and share our experiences of interrogating government numbers and looking at all the accountability and transparency issues,” said Mr. Achonu.
“After that meeting, the religious leaders were very keen not just to have the conversation but to also do something about the outcome of that meeting.”
During the official lunch ceremony, U.S. Chargé d’ Affaires David Young explained that Report Yourself puts the power to report corruption in the hands of the Nigerian people.
“I hope that Report Yourself starts a new movement in citizen engagement and I hope every Nigerian who is affected by corruption will feel empowered to share their experiences. The tide will turn against the culture of corruption when Nigerians recognize that they must fight as one to stamp out this scourge that has hampered development and stifled prosperity,” he said.
Chargé Young urged Nigerians to demonstrate their commitment to the fight against corruption by making use of the innovative online platform which seeks to address the daily instances of corruption faced by millions of Nigerians.
Report Yourself offers Nigerians the means to instantaneously report corruption, bribery, and graft with the option of filing an official compliant with the Nigerian Police Force Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit.
Abayomi Shogunle, assistant commissioner of police, urged Nigerians to take up the war against corruption and drop the habit of “leaving it for God”.
“Through the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, we are working to increase the capacity of Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the justice sector, remarked Chargé Young.
During the event, participants received a guided demonstration of the Report Yourself platform, in addition religious leaders, members of law enforcement, and civil society representatives renewed their commitment to fight against corruption.
Additional Information: US Embassy, Cable News, Premium Times
