Urgent Press Release
Abuja, Saturday, July 6, 2024
Palace of Priests Assembly (PPA) and Priests Peace and Justice Initiative (PPJ) Urge Pentecostals to Renew Their Determination to Fight Corruption on African Anti-Corruption Sunday
The Palace of Priests Assembly and its social arm, the Priests Peace & Justice Initiative (PPJ), join the rest of the African community to mark African Anti-Corruption Day 2024. They call on Pentecostals to observe Anti-Corruption Sunday on July 7, 2024, and renew their commitment to combating corruption by establishing social arms as instruments in this fight.
This year, African Anti-Corruption Day will be commemorated under the theme “Effective Whistleblower Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Corruption,” recognizing the vital role of whistleblowers. The African Union designated July 11 as African Anti-Corruption Day to commemorate the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC). To date, 48 Member States of the African Union have ratified the Convention and implemented measures to tackle corruption, including criminalizing corruption through legislation, establishing institutions, and engaging in corruption prevention initiatives.
Corruption remains a significant challenge in many African countries, undermining socio-economic development, eroding public trust, and hindering progress. As an organization dedicated to transparency, integrity, and accountability, we strongly support efforts to combat corruption and promote ethical practices at all levels of society. At the heart of this commitment is the pursuit of justice with the people and righteousness with God. Corruption is an injustice against the people, and from a biblical perspective, the purpose of government is to promote the good. Corrupt leaders who deprive people of resources are violating their rights. In secular scholarship, there is a growing understanding that corruption is a violation of human rights, transitioning from a leadership misdemeanor to a fundamental human rights violation.
On this African Anti-Corruption Day, we emphasize the importance of collaborative action and a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively address corruption. It is crucial for people of faith, governments, civil society organizations, private sector entities, and citizens to work together to build robust anti-corruption frameworks and implement comprehensive measures to prevent, detect, and prosecute corrupt practices.
In a press statement issued in Abuja by Dr. Agbaji Orinya, the Program Manager of Priests Peace & Justice Initiative, an arm of the Palace of Priests Assembly, he stated that the Pentecostal family has instituted mechanisms for engaging in the fight against corruption. The Sunday before July 11 each year has been designated as Anti-Corruption Sunday. In 2023, over 200 Pentecostal Churches across Nigeria celebrated the day and committed to its annual observance.
Orinya encouraged Pentecostals across the country and Africa to observe this year’s Anti-Corruption Sunday by preaching anti-corruption sermons on Sunday, July 7th, organizing anti-corruption pep talks, holding anti-corruption rallies in schools, carrying out social media campaigns, or joining a webinar organized by Ministers Against Corruption, Christian Women Against Corruption, and Youth Vanguard Against Corruption on July 11. Orinya noted that Christians have a responsibility to stand against corruption because it is a sinful social order that militates against God’s purpose and plan for the governance of human society.
While recognizing the efforts made by governments and institutions across the continent to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms and enact legislation promoting transparency and accountability, Dr. Orinya noted that there is still much work to be done. It is imperative that these commitments translate into concrete actions, leading to tangible results in the fight against corruption. He called upon governments to prioritize anti-corruption efforts and allocate adequate resources to strengthen institutions responsible for combating corruption. He also urged individuals, businesses, and organizations to embrace ethical practices, reject corrupt behaviors, and contribute to a transparent and accountable society.
Dr. Orinya urged all Nigerians, especially Pentecostals, to support this year’s theme “Effective Whistleblower Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Corruption” and return to the dual mandate of the church to support, establish, and institutionalize social arms as instruments to fight corruption and social injustice. He urged all PPA beneficiaries, especially those in the 26 states where PPA has a presence, to mark the day by taking various actions in line with the ongoing leader’s month of action by preaching anti-corruption messages in their sermons, organizing rallies, and holding pep talks using different touchpoints to create awareness of the costs and consequences of corruption.