The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says corruption persists in the country because those guilty are not jailed or appropriately punished.

Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers state, disclosed this while delivering the Founders’ day lecture at the University of Port Harcourt.

The minister urged Nigerians to stop celebrating people who enrich themselves by stealing public funds, noting that such actions encourage corruption.

“Until we begin to jail thieves, corruption will continue; why corruption is on the increase is because the offenders have not been punished, nobody has been jailed,” he said.

The former governor however, said the Buhari-led government is determined to fight corruption and is doing so frontally.

Amaechi also commended President Buhari for his achievements in the transportation sector since he came into power in 2015.

The minister said no nation could have an efficient transport system without good sea ports, saying the three new seaports to be established by Federal Government would be located in Onne, Rivers State, Lekki in Lagos and Warri in Delta State respectively.

“This administration wants to do fresh sea ports because the existing ones, even if you dredge it 100 times, give it one month, it will be filled again. So, that’s why we want to do fresh ones,” he said.

He also disclosed that by September, a University of Transportation would be established at Ubima in Ikwere Council of Rivers State to further enhance learning and specialisation in the sector.

The Chairman of the occasion and former Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. S.J. Cookey, lamented that the Bonny seaport was moribund and unutilised, urging relevant authorities to revitalise the nation’s seaports to grow the economy.