The Executive Director, Democratic Action Group. Dr Muhammad Yahaya, has said the fight against corruption and quest for good governance must start at the grassroots level.

Mr Yahaya made the call during a symposium in commemoration of 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day, organised by Citizens Participation Against Corruption Initiative on Saturday in Kano State.

He charged the youth to champion the fight for accountability, saying it was the key to good governance.

Mr Yahaya further said the fight against corruption as well as the enthronement of good governance should be driven by the grassroots because they suffer the impact of corruption.

“Corruption cannot be tackled from the top, it has to be confronted from the grass-roots,” he said.

Earlier, The Executive Director, Citizens Participation Against Corruption Initiative, Bishir Dauda, emphasised the need to protect and support anti-corruption champions, whether they are heads of anti-corruption bodies, activists, journalists or academics.

He called on Nigerians to pressurise the Federal Government to ensure that corrupt officials faced the consequences of their actions.

Mr Dauda said that it was time for Nigerians to collectively defeat corruption.

“We are saying enough is enough; we are saying that all hands must be on deck to fight corruption because it is not the government’s fight alone or that of political parties.

“It ought to be the fight of Nigerians and there are corrupt people in every sector,” he explained.

He also commended the chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Rimingado, for his efforts in fighting corruption.

Steering committee members of Open Government Partnership in their separate remarks, Hadiza Kishimi and Mustafa Muhammad, called on youths to join the fight against corruption.

They also called on governments at all levels to take their anti-graft campaigns to the grassroots to eliminate corruption.

Some of the participants who spoke at the event called on Nigerians to monitor public officials closely to make sure they discharge their responsibilities to the people.

They said it was only when the officials were closely monitored and put on their feet that they would be accountable to the people.

The International Day Against Corruption or International Anti-Corruption Day is celebrated on December 9 every year to raise awareness among the general public on the impact of the prevailing menace in many countries.

(NAN)