Buhari Challenges African Youths To Lead In Fight Against Corruption

President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged African youths to take the lead in the fight against corruption on the continent. He said: “to the young people of Africa, this fight against corruption is yours to lead and to win in order to reverse the negative trends of corruption and it’s implications for Africa. “The Youth of Africa must pool their energies to effectively ensure that our natural and mineral resources remain on the continent for value addition, job and wealth creation as well as to create affordable health-care and quality education for our people. Winning the fight against corruption is very much in your hands! Speaking today, Sunday, at the launching of the African Youth Congress Against Corruption (AYCAC2018), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari recalled that during the mid-year summit of the African Union Assembly, African Heads of State and Government adopted the Nouakchott Declaration on the Anti-Corruption Year, to serve as a roadmap in the fight against corruption over the coming years. He said that the Declaration reiterated that corruption is not only an African phenomenon but a global one, especially when we consider Illicit Financial Flows where Africa, regrettably is in fact a net creditor to the world. He also recalled that throughout this year, African governments had focused on the strategy for Africa’s structural transformation on strengthening its collective anti-corruption fight. “As African leaders, we made history in adopting this theme in January 2018 in Addis Ababa and openly debated and evaluated our strategy in Nouakchott last July. And today in Nigeria’s capital with our Youth, we are rallying against this once-hidden taboo and hydra-headed challenge that freezes our aspirations and dents the hopes of our youth for a newly emergent Africa. The Nigerian President, who is also Champion of the 2018 African Anti-Corruption Year, noted that the anti-corruption year of the African Union has been long and demanding. He added that the year has also been filled with sharing of great lessons, promises and inspirations as well as some success stories on our journey to winning the fight against the evil of corruption. “I am therefore very pleased that with your support, we have kept faith with the African people, particularly our Youth gathered here today.” He thanked the African Union under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and all African Leaders for entrusting him (Buhari) with the leadership responsibility of championing the African Union theme of the Year – “Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.” “May I also extend my gratitude to the African Union Commission headed by Chairperson, His Excellency, Moussa Faki Mahamat, for providing the technical support to my Champion-role for the past twelve (12) months.” President Buhari referred to Nouakchott Declaration which emphasized on the imperative of investing in the demographic dividends through anti-corruption, education and sensitization campaigns, targeting young people as a means of bringing about behavioral change. President Buhari then encouraged young Africans to use this Declaration as motivation to achieve greater resource investment in developing anti-corruption curricula and anti-graft campaigns in schools, businesses and the general public space. “African Youth must remain the front and centre of restoring traditional African values of probity, integrity, honesty, diligence and hard work. It is only when the youth drive this change, that corruption will be eliminated!” Buhari said that he is pleased to learn that the youth regional consultative forums were informative and rewarding for the over 600 young people from across the continent who sharpened their strategies and skills to fight corruption. “Furthermore, Youth meetings serve as vital platforms for young people to engage. I would like to recognize some of our young leaders here present who have demonstrated the zeal and determination to build the “Africa We Want”: “First, I wish to recognize Mr. Moussa Kondo from Mali for his Accountability Lab in the Republic of Mali. He blazed the trail on how to build sustainable coalitions of “Accountapreneurs”. “Secondly, I recognize, Mr.  Maxence Melo, from the United Republic of Tanzania, founder of JamiiForums for strengthening the viability of whistleblowing policy tools. “I also enjoin us to celebrate our very own Nigerian – Damilola Olawale, founder of Code IT for using technology to give young people the tools to demand transparency in the management of public resources. “These young people have done impressive work in pushing the boundaries of innovation in the pursuit for greater accountability. And so today, we celebrate them and indeed we celebrate all of you – anti-corruption youngsters. You are the unsung heroes of our thematic year of the African Union, the high-impact achievers. You are the REAL AFRICAN CHAMPIONS! “This Congress is therefore a grand rallying point to catalyze policy and practical action against the vice of corruption. We must listen to the perspectives of the African Youth and engage in frank and honest conversations. Communication, upwards and sideways can only be ignored at a price.”