Parliamentarians across Africa have been tasked to intensify efforts in the fight against corruption to ensure success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa in their individual countries in particular.

This is even as it was urged to formulate policies that will set implementation of the goals on the right footing.

The call was made yesterday by the representative of East African Legislative Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Zien Abubakar at the All African Parliamentary Conference On Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) holding in Abuja.

Abubakar Zein while delivering a goodwill message, stressed the need to fight corruption in the continent for the goals to be successfully implemented and achieved.

“Corruption must be fought tooth and nail in Africa for this to work. This dream and the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals will be  unattainable if we as African as people do not fight corruption.”

He noted that until parliamentarians are able to play their rightful roles, the goals will not be achieved on time.

Also, the delegates were urged to come up with policies to ensure that the process of implementing and achieving the goals are inclusive and participatory given that they are goals meant to improve the lives of citizens.

Director, UN SDG Action Campaign, Mitchell Toomey who said this at the conference, further stated that the role of parliaments in planning, intervention and oversight of the process of bringing the goals to life, cannot be over emphasized.

He noted that for development to thrive and be sustained, there was need to make every process participatory.

Earlier, chairman of the House committee on SDGs and chairman of the conference organising committee, Hon.  Abdulkabir Tijjani Joda, disclosed that representatives of parliaments from across Africa  were gathered to brainstorm and interact on the way forward towards lifting Africa and it’s people to the next level through instruments of the parliament working with the SDGs as the chief driver.

Similarly, Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Edward Doo Ajao noted that  conferences such as this, emboldens the major initiatives for sustainable development and enhances the drive for reducing poverty on the African continent.

“We must hold fast to the objectives of these goals so as to uplift our nation states from the doldrums of backwardness”.

On his part, the deputy speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Sulaiman Lasun stated that African parliamentarians must work to enhance development strategies that will tackle challenges in rural areas.

Speakers at the conference also commended  the National Assembly for organising the conference that aims at a successful implementation of SDGs in Africa.