The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Adamu Aliyu, has described Nigeria’s current economic challenges as a product of corruption.
He said this while receiving staff of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), a leading democratic think-tank, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Aliyu, who was represented by the commission’s secretary, Clifford Oparaodu, said: “The issue of corruption and corrupt practices is a problem. It’s an epidemic that’s affecting all of us.
“And it’s no gainsaying that we are facing the reality of hard times in the country, and some of these things could be attributed to corrupt practices, not just in the area of project tracking but in policies and implementation. When policies are made and are not followed to the latter, of course corrupt practices are likely to flow from there.”
While commending the CJID for its efforts in driving civic engagement and public enlightenment, which he described as one of the core mandates of the ICPC, the chairman stressed on the need for sustained activities to improve citizens awareness of their rights and responsibilities in the government process which includes monitoring and engaging government policies for prompt delivery and optimal performance of public projects and other democratic dividends.
“The team here, led by Mr Azuka and the rest of them have been working assiduously and from what I gathered, they have been working closely with your organisation. So, as for your presence here today, I take it that you just want to see the face of the new management of the ICPC. So we’re happy that you are here. It’s very important that all of us put our heads together and put very strenuous efforts to see that we bring these things to the public domain,” he said.
The anti-graft chief also expressed the commission’s commitment to support the CJID’s operations, just as he urged civil societies to take advantage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain relevant information from government agencies, and institute legal steps when agencies refuse disclosure.
Dapo Olorunyomi, chief executive officer of CJID, thanked the ICPC chairman for his warm reception and insightful engagement.
He acknowledged the ICPC’s efforts as a supportive and progressive partner to the CJID in its quest for an accountable government and corruption-free society, especially through its social accountability project, UDEME.
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“The programme (UDEME) does so many things and we’re very grateful for a mission like this because it helps us to say thank you for the kind of relationship the ICPC has enabled for Civil societies know full well that the government and agencies can’t do everything. So we think that we can help you do a lot of the heavy lifting that makes your job better to do,” Mr Olorunyomi said. “I thought it would also be helpful to help design terms of synergy between civil society and action government institutions like yours.”
The veteran journalist also reiterated the CJID’s resolve to support the commission in areas of staff capacity building, media coverage and networking, information database sharing that will help the ICPC’s investigations, in furtherance of the existing healthy partnership between both institutions. He sought the ICPC’s support with investigating identified cases of infractions and the prosecution of defaulters.
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