President Muhammadu Buhari on
Wednesday urged Nigerian workers to dedicate themselves more to their duties
than yield to the temptation of taking government property.
The president, who was speaking with
presidential villa staff in Abuja said anyone planning to make such a move had
better learnt from the experiences of those currently facing prosecution over
various allegations.
“We haven’t touched anybody who did
not touch public funds, you should behave yourself,” the president told the
workers. “If you don’t have houses in Abuja and the whole of Europe, you will
sleep soundly.
“You and your family will earn
respect. But, if you short-change the treasury, you will be caught and I pity
your family, because people will be abusing them. People will be calling you
big thieves; that how did you raise money to build all the houses in Abuja and
Europe with your meagre salary.
“I think personal integrity is
something to be encouraged. I assure you that I am absolutely dedicated to
serve Nigeria. Those who behave themselves will never regret. But, those who
don’t behave themselves, is their problem.”
The president, who was meeting
closely with Aso Rock staff for the first time, told them all fraudulent
activities must stop, saying those in doubt about the efficacy of his
administration’s anti-corruption war should ask those caught so far with public
funds.
“This exercise (anti-corruption war)
will continue as long as this leadership is here. Whoever takes anything that
does not belong to him, or that he is not entitled to, it will be documented
and the person will be taken to court. This is the only way I think we can bail
ourselves out,” the president said.
Mr. Buhari said it was a disgrace
that 27 out of the 36 states cannot pay salaries of their workers, despite all
the income they have been getting over the years.
On the security challenge in the
country, the president expressed regrets that the situation in other parts of
the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region, was competing with the
Northeast and capable of doing more damage to the country, the oil companies
and the oil wells.
He decried the state of the power
sector, which he said had made no remarkable improvement from 1999 till date,
despite huge investments.
On diversification of the economy,
President Buhari said although Nigeria decided to return to the farm as an
alternative to oil, because of the prices, nothing much could be done this
year.
“We have to quickly go back to the
farm. It is too late for this year. But, next year, we will make a better
arrangement to make sure next year, we can feed ourselves,” he said.
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