“ICTs veritable tools for fighting corruption in Nigeria” – CITAD

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are veritable tools in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, says Yunusa Zakari Ya’u of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), while delivering the keynote address at a campus journalism dialogue held Saturday at the Bayero University, Kano.

The dialogue which was themed: “Building the Future of the Nigerian Media; the Corruption Challenge,” was organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Youth Digest magazine and Transparency International, with support from Global Affairs Canada.

“ICT is a tool we can leverage to communicate the people power we have to fight corruption. And corruption is not all about stealing money, where there is no effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and accountability, there will be corruption hence there will be no good governance; these are the variables for detecting corruption,” said Ya’u.

He said leveraging ICTs would enhance communication links, data sourcing, sharing of information and online campaigns aimed at promoting gender balance,  addressing the needs of people living with disabilities (PWDs) as well as checking the excesses of governments stowards ensuring transparency and accountability. “Availability of ICTs, awareness ICTs, having access to ICTs, affordability of ICTs are key indicators for the effective use of ICT in the fight against corruption,” he concluded.

Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani, executive director of CISLAC, while delivering the opening remarks at the event said the media had an important role to play in exposing issues of corruption in government to the public adding that the media was the only institution recognised by the Nigerian constitution to hold governments accountable, urging the media to effectively discharge its constitutional mandate of ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.