Transparency, Accountability Fundamental Values In Public Service

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, has called on Nigerians to embrace transparency, accountability, and respect for due process as fundamental values in public service.

Speaking at the closing of the 2025 National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance in Abuja, Salam said that addressing corruption and fiscal mismanagement in the country requires the active participation of all citizens—not just government institutions.

“If we truly want a greater Nigeria, the responsibility lies with every one of us,” he said. “I doubt if anyone can claim total exemption from the responsibilities and challenges we’ve discussed over the past few days.”

Salam emphasized the need for a personal and institutional recommitment to integrity and hinted at the possibility of making the conference an annual fixture, pending deliberations by both chambers of the National Assembly.

The lawmaker described the discussions at the conference as “timely and crucial,” urging participants to return to their respective roles with renewed commitment to public sector reforms and best practices.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Ahmed Wadada, called on Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious sentiments and unite around the shared goal of strengthening transparency and good governance.

“The responsibility of keeping Nigeria corrupt-free or minimally corrupt lies with all of us,” Wadada said. “This is a shared duty that must transcend ethnic, religious, or regional affiliations.”

He criticized the tendency to inject divisive sentiments into governance, noting that Nigerians often coexist peacefully in social settings but allow bias to influence public decision-making.

“None of us thinks about our neighbor’s religion or ethnicity when we eat together, but sentiments take over when it’s time for official duties. That should not be,” he added.

Wadada urged participants to study the policy recommendations presented at the conference and contribute actively to national reforms efforts.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji