Use technology, social media, FOI Act to fight corruption – MRA tells youths

Media Rights Agenda, MRA, has called on Nigerian youths to actively combat corruption by harnessing technology, social media and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

In a statement made available to our reporter in Taraba State on Monday, the organization emphasized the need for young people to demand transparency and accountability in governance as a means of shaping a brighter future.

Signed by its Communications Officer,
Idowu Adewale, the statement which is in commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD), highlighted the critical role youths have to play in fighting corruption.

The theme of this years International Anti-Corruption Day is ‘Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity’.

Reaffirming MRA’s commitment to combating corruption, which it said undermines national development, justice and equality, Deputy Executive Director of the organization, Mr. Ayode Longe, urged young Nigerians to channel their energy and creativity into building a society rooted in integrity.

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According to Longe, unchecked corruption disproportionately affects young people, stealing their future and deepening societal inequalities.

“Young Nigerians have access to tools like technology, social media and the FOI Act to expose corruption, advocate for transparency, and push for equity,” he stated.

He urged them to use the resources to demand accountability from government agencies, monitor public projects and report irregularities.

Longe who also highlighted corruption as a major barrier to Nigeria’s development, described it as a force that erodes trust, deepens inequalities, and deprives citizens, especially youths, of opportunities for growth.

He argued that the youths, being Nigeria’s largest demographic group, have a unique opportunity to lead the fight against corruption.

Encouraging young people to educate themselves on the FOI Act, which, according to him, grants citizens the right to access government information, Longe stressed the need for the government to invest in youth education, strengthen their participation in decision-making, and provide platforms for their ideas to flourish.