How Nigeria can tackle corruption –Ex- Georgian President

A former President of the Republic of Georgia,
Mr. Mikhail Saakashvil, on Tuesday said
Nigeria could confront corruption and other
related problems if its leaders were willing to
take drastic measures, not caring whose ox
was gored.
Saakashvil, who was Guest Speaker at the
opening ceremony of the Lagos Economic
Summit, also known as Ehingbeti 2014, added
that Nigeria's problems were not
insurmountable.
He explained that corruption in Georgia was
so prevalent that government officials did not
offer any service without demanding bribe.
Saakashvil, who was President of Georgia from
2004 to 2013, pointed out that if his country
could metamorphose from nearly a failed
state a few years ago to an economic stable
country, Nigeria could also overcome its
challenges.
He explained that his administration sacked
operatives of the Georgian Police Force and
those in the customs, replacing them with
fresh blood.
Speaking on the theme, 'Powering the Lagos
Economy: Real Opportunities, Endless
Possibilities', Saakashvil said his reforms took
his country to the top as one of the most
efficient economies in Europe, adding that the
best way to fight corruption was to build
strong institutions.
"When I became president, we were ranked
the 127 economy, but we moved up to eight
and became the first developing country to
enter into the top 10 World Bank economic
index of the world. By 2004, corruption rate
was 96 per cent, but by 2007, it was less than
two per cent," Saakashvil said.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola,
said the recent rebasing that placed Nigeria
economy as the biggest in Africa and 26th
largest in the world, must be complemented
by revamping the power sector, so that the
nation's economy would blossom.
He said, "How to put that position to work is
really the challenge and power will be the key
to it."
He said the government had embarked on a
number of initiatives to improve power supply
in the state.
Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun,
noted that a solution to the power problem
would aid manufacturing and other industries.
He said, "Indeed, the key to solve the
challenge that we have today is power.
Everyone needs power to do business. And
until we solve power challenge, we will
continue to have a GDP that is more of service
based."