The fight against corruption has taken another dimension in Nigeria as religious groups have taken the bull by the horn to become agents of change engaging its members in the fight against corruption.
As a result of this, the Palace of Peace Assembly believers’ fight against corruption is not merely a civic duty but a fulfillment of the dual mandate given to the church by Jesus Christ to minister to the people spiritually and physically including the social dimension of the church.
At one-day public presentations of Priests Peace and Justice Initiative (PPJ) year 2 report of the mobilization, Christians Against Corruption (MOCAC 2.0) project: Reflecting on progress and paving way for the Third Year.
The Project Director, Otive Igbuzor, on Thursday in Abuja, said the first phase of the project was implemented from January 2018 to August 2021, with the potential for behavioral change by Pentecostals to engage in social issues and join the fight against corruption.
He said since the beginning of the project, a new culture was witnessed by the members in various sectors as to shun, speak and stand up against corruption.
He said that mobilizing Pentecostals in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, it harvested 115 scriptures that capture the meaning of corruption and the imperative to adhere to the standards of honesty, integrity and transparency expected of Christians.
He added that the project was implemented in 16 states out of the 36 states of the federation.
The second phase of the project started in 2021.
He said that the Pentecostals have trained a total of 2,892 of its members, 1, 186, additional Pentecostals have endorsed the pact on transparency and accountability.
“91 Pentecostal churches have established the social arm of the church to fight corruption and address other social issues in society. 61 anti-corruption platforms were established, including Ministers against Corruption, Christian Women against Corruption, and Youth Vanguard against Corruption.”
In his remarks, the FCT Chairman, of Pentecostals Fellowship of Nigeria, Issac Komolafe, said at the end of the project, it will underscore the significance of Christians’ values in driving ethical behavior and active anti-corruption efforts among the members.
The Priests Peace and Justice Initiative, an arm of the Palace of Priests Assembly, was supported by the MacArthur Foundation.