The Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 polls, Peter Obi, has advised the Church to be more critical in the fight against corruption.
Obi spoke on Thursday on the theme: “The Church and Good Governance,” at All Souls Church, Lekki, Lagos State as the Guest Lecturer at the Centenary Anniversary of the Diocese of Lagos Anglican Communion.
Obi, who traced the problem of Nigeria to cumulative years of bad leadership, said all institutions in the country, including the Church, contributed to that failure either through commission or omission.
“By blessing poor people who suddenly make money in government and come to Church for thanksgiving rather than calling police for them, the Church is not showing right example,” he said.
The former Anambra State Governor emphasised the need for the Church to be conscious of being the conscience of the world.
To reduce corruption, Obi said Government must make deliberate efforts to reduce so many “toll gates” by changing her procurement processes to ensure that money moved directly to institutions they were meant for.
Using his time as the Governor of Anambra State for example, Obi said money meant for schools were given to them directly and that it was one of the reasons the state achieved so much in education, moving from number 27 in the country to number 1.
Obi also spoke of exceptionally high cost of governance and proffered solution flowing from his practical experience.
He said: “As the Governor of Anambra, I reduced the cost of governance through eliminating many unnecessary things our people make part of government such as long convoys, maintaining multiple guest houses, travelling with retinue of aides, among others.
“By the time you know it, I had excess money to meet our obligations, including clearing arrears of pension to the tune of about N35 billion and saving over N75 billion for the state as at the day I left office.”
Other speakers: Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) and Justice Osat Obaseki-Osaghae, reminded the Church that she is expected to be the moral compass of world.
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