A Non Governmental Organization, Step Up Nigeria has said it will be using Artificial intelligence (AI) to supports its fight against corruption.
This is just as various stakeholders are calling for the inclusion of Anti-corruption education in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools.
The founder of Step Up Nigeria, Onyinye Ough revealed the intentions of the organization while speaking at the fifth anniversary on Thursday in Abuja.
Step Up Nigeria has been building bridges between government and citizens to combat corruption and improve service delivery in Nigeria since 2018.
It has educated about 50,000 children, youth, parents, teachers, and communities in the FCT, and in Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Imo, and Edo states on the negative impacts of corruption and actions they can take to promote integrity, and demand better service delivery.
Ough revealed the five year plan for the organization while also launching Step Up Nigeria’s report on Anti-corruption Education in Nigeria: A Complementary or Alternative Tool to Enforcement in Nigeria.
She said the organization will in the next five year commit to using AI to fight corruption, canvas social sanction against corrupt persons and as well create integrity League.
“Step up wants to create a corruption free classroom using the current technology AI, to reach as many as we can. Tailored learning experience where people will have personalized learning.
“We also want to build social sanctions where communities can reject corrupt individuals, shaming and naming them. We are hoping to achieve this through active community participation.
We will also have integrity league where people who are interested in education can replicate our efforts in communities.”
Meanwhile panelist at the anniversary argued that there is the need to further more on the input of Anti-corruption I to the curriculum of primary and secondary schools.
Speaking on Igniting Integrity: The Power of Youth and Education in Building Collective Action Against Corruption, the panel was made up of UNODC Anti-Corruption Programme Officer, Princess Chifiero; Board Chair, Spotlight on Corruption, UK LLoydette Bai Marrow; ICPC Superintendent & Anchor, Corruption Must Go TV Programme, Joy Ajah; Young Anti-corruption Champion, Winner Oyegun and First-time Voter Integrity Champion, Patience Audu.
In his submission, Oyegun who is a secondary school student posits that whatever is imbued in the young ones will determine what they do later in life.
“The battle against corruption cannot be won by a few, it is important to empower the young ones. Imparting knowledge in younger ones is essential because they represent the future and are vanguards of integrity. The power of informed youths is a formidable force in fighting corruption”, he said.
On her part, Chifiero said education is the only way to bridge the gap in the fight against corruption.
“We still have a long way to go in harnessing potentials of the youth. There has been a gap in the fight against corruption, we need to encourage, connect and learn from one another. Investing in youth leadership will help build good citizenry. Education is the only way we can continue to fight corruption, it is the foundation of it all”, she said.
ICPC’s Ajah emphasized that corruption if not curbed can shatter anybody’s dreams. She added that the curriculum earlier introduced by ICPC as part of its efforts need to be reviewed amidst training for educators.
In their goodwill messages the Chairman of Transparency International, Delia Ferreria Rubio; MacArthur Foundation Country Director, Nigeria, Dr Kole Shettima; British Deputy High Commissioner, Abuja Gill Atkinson and the Chief of Party, Palladium (USAID-SCALE Project), Lydia Odeh lauded Stepup for their fight against corruption while promising more support.
The event also featured exhibition of Story Books, Board Games, Animated Films and Virtual Reality Films all of which are materials to fight corruption
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