A lawyer, Dr Elijah Okebukola has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and states govenments to make access to water, education and health a fundamental right and for their inclusion in the constitution.

Okebukola spoke virtual at the public  presentation of a publication by Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) titled, “The ignored pandemic: How Corruption ìn the Water, Health and Education Sectors is Plunging Poor Nigerians Further into Poverty”.

The event held at a Town  Hall Meeting on promoting citizens’ participation in the fight against Corruption in the Health, Education and Water sectors in Nigeria held in Lagos.

It also marked the unveiling of “WAHEED” an acronym for Water, Health, Education.

Okebukola stressed that there should be transparency and accountability ìn all intervention programmes.

 

He also campaigned for a strong justice system for the country.

“Where you have a justice system that is weak ìn the fight against corruption, corruption will continue growing.

“Until the Judiciary is strengthened, you cannot fight the monster called corruption.”

The legal practitioner blamed the police, judges, ICPC, EFCC for entrenching corruption, adding that they had not done enough to rid the country of corruption.

Okebukola, whose presentation was drawn from the report of a survey conducted by SERAP, disclosed that the organisation interviewed 2,567 respondents ìn selected towns across the country’s six geo-political zones of the country.

He said the study showed that corruption was “adding insult to the injury of Nigerians”.

He noted that not less than 56million Nigerians are living ìn poverty and that corruption had further plunged Nigerians especially the poor deeper into poverty.

Earlier, Mr Adeyemi Adebayo who represented the Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, said everyone has a role to play and contribution to make ìn the fight against corruption.

“Therefore we all have the right to contribute even to the progress of our nation.

“A gathering like this will give us the opportunity to know what those in power are doing right and doing wrong. Their decision and good actions are not reserved for those in power alone.”

Mr Kabir Elelu, representative of the ICPC also in his goodwill message noted that  SERAP has been partnering with ICPC ìn the fight against corruption and stressed that  the partnership was well appreciated.

“We all know that corruption is high in the country and it takes everybody and means to tackle it. “SERAP has been trying in this cause and I hope they will do more.

“The ICPC has been at the forefront in the fight against corruption too. We urge citizens to report to ICPC so that values will be gotten for the money the FG is spending”, he said.

Mrs. Adefowoke Ayoponle, Secretary Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Lagos said her organisation had been partnering with SERAP, adding that  the fight against corruption is a collective responsibility.

Wale Adebanjo,  representing the British High Commission said the UK had zero tolerance for corruption. “That is why we commend the president for his fight against corruption.”

Adebanjo said: “corruption undermine the rules of law in democracy. As we all know, no one wants to do business in Nigeria because of the issue of corruption.

“However, we have a strong partnership with Nigeria to tackle corruption and this strengthens the relationship between the UK and Nigeria.”

Mrs Jaiyeola Margaret, representing the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos said the program was timely in view of the coming election.

“ It is to speak and educate those who are seated here in being careful ìn the choice of those they will be electing to rule us.

“I believe that Nigeria will be better and corruption will be on its way out when people see crime or corruption and report to the appropriate authorities. Nigeria will be great again”, she assured.