By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Students of Anambra State government owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) have pledged commitment towards upholding the principles of integrity and honesty with a view to combating corruption.
The students at a sensitisation programme organised by the CSO Media Accountability and Anti-corruption Initiative (CMAAI), a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and Media practitioners, assured that they would uphold the principles of transparency and accountability in all decision-making processes.
The European Union programme sponsored by the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) and implemented by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) also got the students pledging to avoid any form of corruption, including bribery, nepotism, and embezzlement, respect the rights and dignity of all students, faculty, and staff, promote a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and social responsibility, and ensure that activities and programs under their leadership are conducted in a fair, transparent, and accountable manner.
The Students Union Government (SUG) President, Comrade Josephat Ezehiri, who spoke on behalf of the COOU students leadership averred that they would establish a special anti-corruption club to help achieve the goal of a corrupt-free university and society.
Speaking at the programme, the Team lead, CMAAI, Ugochi Freeman, maintained that students as future leaders, have a critical role to play in promoting accountability and fighting against corruption in the country.
She said, "Being heads of your departments, faculty and university entirely is a testing ground for you at your own level. As leaders, you represent a community of students in this school. Endeavour to ask yourself how well you have led or represented the students.
"There must be deliberate efforts to represent their interests and not yours. Corruption is becoming rampant among youths. We have come here knowing that we all have roles to play to change the narrative. We implore you to play your own role and be effective in it."
In a lecture, Mr. Emmanuel Egenti from Auditor-General for Local Government office, argued that corruption undermines the fabric of society, leading to poverty, inequality, and social injustice, and urged students to resist it by upholding the values of honesty, hard work, and integrity.