Two major anti-corruption group, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on Thursday faulted President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim that “corruption is not the cause of all the problems confronting Africa.”

The two groups, in separate statements, said the comment credited to the President was a reflection of his lack of grasp of the realities about how corruption had deepened poverty and suffering among citizens.

Jonathan reportedly said on Wednesday at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that “corruption was not the cause of all the problems confronting Africa.”

He had added, “In terms of security, Boko Haram is the biggest challenge we have at the moment.”

But CACOL said in a statement by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, on Thursday, “It only takes a president who is neck-deep in corruption not to accept the menace as the root cause of Africa’s problem.”

CACOL described the President’s comment as unfortunate, adding that all the problems confronting the country had their roots in corruption.

CACOL’s statement reads, “It is so unfortunate that our leaders are far detached from the realities. It is a known fact that corruption is the main reason why nothing is working in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“As a matter of fact, corruption is the biggest problem of Nigeria and the bane of development in other African countries.

“Every problem confronting Nigeria today has its roots in corruption. Even the problem of insecurity, as typified by Boko Haram, is a product of corruption.”

On its part, SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said corruption at the highest level of government was responsible for the suffering of millions of Nigerians.

“The statement by the President shows clearly that this government has not come to term with the reality of massive corruption at the highest level of government, and the devastation and suffering it has caused millions of innocent Nigerians,” SERAP stated.

The organisation insisted that the evidence of corruption starring at the government’s face should be sufficient to convince the President that corruption was the country’s biggest problem