President Muhammadu Buhari has said on Saturday that huge corruption being perpetrated especially in Africa has created a huge governance deficit.
Buhari said such terrible growth has created unfavorable effects that have worsened the socio-economic and political situation in Africa.
This is contained in a letter to South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairman of African Union.
As the continent celebrates Anti-Corruption Day, July 11, 2020, the President urged African leaders to ensure the immediate actualization of the Common African Position on Assets Recovery (CAPAR),.
Buhari according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, asked for a re-commitment to the anti-corruption war by leaders on the continent to engender an “integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena.”
He described that “the massive corruption being executed across our national governments has created a huge governance deficit that has, in turn, created negative consequences that have worsened the socioeconomic and political situation in Africa.”
The letter by President Buhari reads in part:
“Your Excellency is aware, the continental fight against corruption has been premised on an irreducible minimum that can pave the way for Africa’s transformation.
“In this effort, the emphasis has been on the continent’s collective determination to forge resilient partnerships among our national governments, civil society organizations and other interest groups, such as women, youth and the physically challenged, to ensure improved socio-economic, political and security development and ultimately, the improvement of our continent.
“The concern of the African Union is that the massive corruption being perpetrated across our national governments has created a huge governance deficit that has, in turn, created negative consequences that have worsened the socio-economic and political situation in Africa.
“Your Excellency may recall that these continental concerns led our colleagues at the African Union, to appoint my humble self as the African Union Anti-Corruption Champion. I believe that the efforts and focus of the Nigerian Government at home, partly informed this decision as well as the need for Africa, as a continent, to recommit herself to the fight against corruption and the imperative to free resources for meaningful development.
“I am, therefore, in full support of the call for the issuance of a continental message to commemorate this day, on July 11, 2020, to re-commit the African Union to the continental fight against corruption, including through a robust approach to assets recovery, hence the need for a strategic framework on a Common African Position on Assets Recovery (CAPAR).
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