The Chairman, Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA), Hon. Justice Eni Esan (rtd) has announced that the fight against corruption in the State’s civil service has been successful due to the engagement of stakeholders, including the youths in the activities of the agency.
Eni Esan said this in her message on the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) which is marked across the world on Tuesday, using the opportunity to renew the commitment of the agency to work with the people of the State to maintain a zero-corrupt status for the State.
She hinted that OYACA engages youths in its programmes to ‘catch them young’ and wipe off corruption mentality from them from the onset, while also using them as vanguard of anti-corruption.
“IACD is an annual event that empasises the need to tackle corruption and its far-reaching consequences, corruption undermines trust in institutions, hampers economic development and erodes social justice.
“This day seeks to mobilize individuals, governments and organizations to take a stand against corruption, as everyone has a role to play in uniting the world against corruption.
“It is no longer news that the government of Oyo State, led by His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde FNSE, has zero tolerance for corruption, this informed his decision to establish the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) on December, 2020, while it commenced operations in April, 2021 with total support from the governor, which has made Oyo achieve a zero corruption status today.
“Our engagements so far with various layers of stakeholders, especially the youth have yielded results as the youth’s involvement is meant to catch them young and wipe off corruption mentality from their consciousness from the ontset, while we use them as vanguards of anti-corruption fight in the State.
She remarked that constant engagement with youths has made the spread of the anti-corruption message permeate the length and breadth of the State.
The Chairman highlighted the various approaches to sensitize and engage citizens and various stakeholders to include engagement of layers of civil servants, traditional rulers, students of State-owned higher institutions of learning as well as corps members to guide against corruption.
The theme for the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day, according to Eni Esan is “Uniting With Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.”
