According to US Consul, General Claire Pierangelo, fighting corruption is not just a major problem in Nigeria, but also a top national security priority for President Joe Biden’s administration.
She also stated that the Biden administration is committed to anti-corruption policies and coordinated efforts to prevent graft, intensify investigations, and prosecute corrupt individuals and organizations.
This was said by Pierangelo on Friday, when the US Consulate General in Nigeria, in partnership with the Inter-Religious Coalition Against Corruption in Nigeria, launched ReportMagoMago.com, a web-based service that uses public involvement to combat corruption.
Pierangelo noted in a statement issued by Temitayo Famutimi of the Consulate’s Public Affairs Section that ReportMagoMago.com gives Nigerians the power to expose corruption.
She asked Nigerians to show their commitment to the fight against corruption by using the cutting-edge online platform, which aims to address the everyday instances of corruption that millions of Nigerians experience.
In a release headlined ‘U.S. Consulate, Religious Leaders Launch Anti-Corruption Website,’ Pierangelo was reported as stating, “Countering corruption is not only a vital problem in Nigeria but also a core US national security objective for the Biden Administration.”
“A fresh narrative and a culture where corruption has no place are required for growth and development to be commensurate with Nigeria’s richness and strength,” she added.
Pierangelo also expressed hope that the new project will inspire Nigerians who have been touched by corruption to feel emboldened to share their stories, igniting a new wave of citizen involvement in the battle against the plague that has strangled the country’s growth and prosperity.
Transparency International, a worldwide anti-corruption group, ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa behind Guinea on January 25, 2022.
Nigeria slipped five places in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International on Tuesday, receiving 24 out of 100 points.
The rating was announced against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s stated commitment to fighting corruption.
Nigeria is now ranked 154th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Edition for 2021, down from 149th in the previous index.
