How to end corruption in Nigeria, by Okonjo-Iweala

Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said Nigeria must punish offenders and build institutions if the country wants to win the war against corruption.

In an interview, yesterday,  on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS programme, the former World Bank President said, “ No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians.  Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it”

She said: “And I think there are two key things that need to be done all along, and it’s not just in Nigeria.  It’s in many developing countries that you need to do this.

“But in our country, you need to, coupled with – by all means pursue those who are corrupt, punish them, you know, make sure there’s no impunity.  But that has to be coupled with something which doesn’t get as much attention, which is building institutions. 

 It’s unglamorous; it’s work that takes time, but we have to do it.  We have to put it in place.”