MINEPAT: staff better prepared to fight corruption

Staff of the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development henceforth know the various ways in which corruption kills the economy, affects the quality of investments and slows down development and how to contribute in the fighting the corruption scourge.

The ministry as part of celebrations marking the International Day for the fight against corruption on Friday, December 9, 2016, organised an information and awareness creation session of its staff on its own chosen theme, « Corruption affects the quality of investment : Together let is fight it.»

Speaking on behalf of the Minister, Louis Paul Motaze, the Inspector General in charge of the Performance of Services, Azola Azola Emile reiterated the importance of the international theme which was corruption: an obstacle to lasting development.

He said the ministry has coined the theme to match its mission, stating that both themes converge on the fact that they cannot be lasting development without quality investment. Mr Azola Azola said siphoning public resources for private use heightens cost to the detriment of general interest and wellbeing of the population.

Government, he said has stepped up measures to fight against and eradicate corruption through institutions, mechanisms and varied declarations of the Head of State, Paul Biya. MINEPAT through its Anti-corruption Unit has embraced the fight considering that its mission is to lay the basis for inclusive and lasting growth by coordinating investment programmes.Aspects of corruption that still surface in the ministry relate to complaints with regards to awarding contracts, conflict of interests and favouritism.

The ministry was determined to use all means to fight back corruption. The fight concerns everyone as corruption slows down economic development by discouraging direct investments and making it impossible for small enterprises to overcome cost.