The president, who was
speaking with presidential villa staff in Abuja said anyone planning to make
such a move had better learnt from the experiences of those currently facing
prosecution over various allegations.
President Muhammadu Buhari
on Wednesday urged Nigerian workers to dedicate themselves more to their duties
than yield to the temptation of taking government property.
“We haven’t touched anybody
who did not touch public funds, you should behave yourself,” the president told
the workers. “If you don’t have houses in Abuja and the whole of Europe, you
will sleep soundly.
“You and your family will
earn respect. But, if you short-change the treasury, you will be caught and I
pity your family, because people will be abusing them. People will be calling
you big thieves; that how did you raise money to build all the houses in Abuja
and Europe with your meagre salary.
“I think personal integrity
is something to be encouraged. I assure you that I am absolutely dedicated to
serve Nigeria. Those who behave themselves will never regret. But, those who
don’t behave themselves, is their problem.”
The president, who was
meeting closely with Aso Rock staff for the first time, told them all
fraudulent activities must stop, saying those in doubt about the efficacy of
his administration’s anti-corruption war should ask those caught so far with
public funds.
“This exercise
(anti-corruption war) will continue as long as this leadership is here. Whoever
takes anything that does not belong to him, or that he is not entitled to, it
will be documented and the person will be taken to court. This is the only way
I think we can bail ourselves out,” the president said.
Mr. Buhari said it was a
disgrace that 27 out of the 36 states cannot pay salaries of their workers,
despite all the income they have been getting over the years.
On the security challenge
in the country, the president expressed regrets that the situation in other
parts of the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region, was competing
with the Northeast and capable of doing more damage to the country, the oil companies
and the oil wells.
He decried the state of the
power sector, which he said had made no remarkable improvement from 1999 till
date, despite huge investments.
On diversification of the
economy, President Buhari said although Nigeria decided to return to the farm
as an alternative to oil, because of the prices, nothing much could be done
this year.
“We have to quickly go back
to the farm. It is too late for this year. But, next year, we will make a
better arrangement to make sure next year, we can feed ourselves,” he said.
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