Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the future of Nigeria children considering the leaders that pilot the affairs of the nation.
Against the general expectations on the responsibilities of the leaders to ensure hope for the children, Nigerian leaders are found with conduct that will jeopadize this expectations.
In the news, the sum of N2.67Billion which was meant for school feeding was discovered in a private bank account by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
According to ICPC, the fund was a payment made to some federal colleges for school feeding during the lockdown.
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The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, said this in his keynote address at the second National Summit on Diminishing Corruption with the theme: “Together Against Corruption and the launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy” held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Prof. Owasanoye, who said the payment was made to some federal colleges, also revealed that over N2.5 billion was appropriated by late senior civil servant in the Ministry of Agric for himself and cronies.
According to him, while 33 MDAs gave explanations that N4.1 billion was transferred to sub-TSA, N4.2 billion paid to individuals had no satisfactory explanations.
“We observed that transfers to sub-TSA was to prevent disbursement from being monitored,” Owasanoye said.
He added that “Nevertheless, we discovered payments to some federal colleges for school feeding in the sum of N2.67 billion during lockdown when the children are not in school, and some of the money ended up in personal accounts. We have commenced investigations into these findings.”
Reacting to the development, a Child Right Advocate, Mrs Oluwadamisi Tayo-Ladega, said such act by Nigerian leaders showed they lack the interest of the future leaders at heart.
“That was very bad. How can someone do such a thing? Leaders in Nigeria need to learn good spirit. If such amount of money meant for the upkeep of the children was embezzled, that means the country is not a safe haven for the children.”
Tayo-Ladega who is the founder of a child right group, His Marvelous Grace Support Foundation, also implored parents to teach their children good virtue that will make them good ambassadors of the society in future.
