Disturbed by the increasing rate of corruption in Nigeria, the Honorary International Investors’ Council (HIIC) has adopted an anti-corruption initiative dubbed ‘Clean Business Nigeria Today’.
The HIIC was inaugurated during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004 as a Presidential advisory body to attract global financial players into the Nigerian economy.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Council’s two-day meeting in Abuja, the HIIC Coordinator, Baroness Lynda Chalker, said the initiative will compliment government’s effort in fighting corruption.
According to her, President Goodluck Jonathan will serve as Grand Patron and will be driven by the private sector.
She spoke further, “The Council resolve to add to the government efforts to fighting corruption and we have today adopted the Clean Business Nigeria Plan as a means of integrating the private sector in to the efforts of government to deal with the issues of corruption that arise all over the place.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be the Grand Patron of the Initiative and we will work with the `Business Against Corruption’ initiative, chaired by Dr Christopher Kolade.
“Our own initiative will be worked on by Mr Emmanuel Ijewere and make sure that we can really hope that Nigerians people to eliminate the large amount of corruption in this country and of course which is a big problem”.
Baroness Chalker however said Council acknowledged steady achievement in all sectors of the economy, just as it commended the Jonathan Administration on progress attained specifically in the implementation of Council’s recommendations on developing performance matrix.
She also spoke about the stabilisation of the naira against major international currencies, noting that it is an indication of an improved economy.
The HIIC Coordinator said Council also commended the on-going privatization of the power sector and efficient management of the 2013 flood disaster without experiencing food crisis.
The increasing interest being shown by international investing community on the Nigerian economy, she noted is an indication of improved perception and confidence of the international community on the management of the economy.
However, Council urged government to focus on industrialization, especially areas such as; automobile, manufacturing, petrochemicals and refineries. It also enjoined government to adopt deliberate policies that will create enabling business climate to support local investors.
Speaking further on the corruption initiative, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, said that CBNT is a private sector initiative with support of the federal government.
According to him, “It is council initiative but driven by the private sector and supported by the government. The rationale behind this is that, when you talk about corruption, it manifest not just in government but also in the private sector..
“What we are doing to get the private sector to commit to, is that they will not give bribe to start with and that in way no one gives bribe and no one takes bribe and this will cover illicit flows in the system,
“You may recall that only last week at the G8 meeting in London, it focused on the three Ts; Trade, Tax and Transparency, and transparency is about how government and the private sector becomes far more transparent in their dealings”.
