Corrupt Practices Have Consumes Virtually All Nigerians – ICPC

BY KHALID IDRIS DOYA, Bauchi 

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has observed that revelations from its Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative will shock Nigerians generally by realizing the extent to which corruption has short-changed all Nigerians, especially the ordinary people.

The commission, at a dialogue it organized on National Ethics, Constituency and Executive Tracking Initiative for Positive Behavioural Change in partnership with National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Bauchi State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bauchi, described traditional rulers as custodians of traditional norms and values that project their communities and people as responsible people.

Declaring the dialogue opened, the commission chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye who was represented by the North East Board Member, Dr Solomon Manadam, noted that as character moulders and champions of integrity and national development, traditional rulers, religious Leaders and community based civil society organisations, play crucial roles in the development of their various communities.

“In the course of the presentations and conversations that will be held here today, you will listen to revelations from the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative embarked upon by the ICPC since 2019 that perhaps will shock you, as you realize the extent to which corruption has short-changed all of us, especially the ordinary people of this country”.

“These revelations, believe will underscore why every core value of the Ethics and Integrity Policy should be imbibed, practiced and upheld by all and why you as Leaders should deepen your partnership with the ICPC in diminishing corruption and using your good offices in promoting ethics values and behaviour change and building a better Nigeria for all of us”.

He told the stakeholders, “You have followership, you have influence and command respect, use these to bring about enduring positive behavioural change amongst our people. Nigerians are good people, let not the actions and attitude of a few bad eggs give us all a bad name”.

Prof Bolaji thanked the Bauchi state government for its assistance in mobilizing the dialogue audience especially the traditional rulers and religious Leaders, the NOA and other qualified persons to serve as resource persons in the collective desire to enthrone a Nigeria glowing with integrity, transparency and accountability in all spheres.

Welcoming participants to the dialogue earlier, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of Independent Corrupt Practices And Other commission (ICPC) in Bauchi state, Baba Gali Rogo, said the dialogue is a follow up to a similar dialogue one in May last year where stakeholders robbed minds together and discussed some critical government policies that assisted in curbing the menace of corruption and entrenching good ethical values in Nigerian society.

Rogo Said, “It is in its continuous recognition of the pivotal role value re-orientation plays in the fight against corruption that ICPC, in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Bauchi State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs organized this dialogue to further sensitize you on the activities of the ICPC through various initiatives aimed at ensuring a corrupt free society and the role you all can play in this noble venture”.

Malam Baba Rogo told the occasion a similar dialogue has been organized across 15 states in the six Geo-political zones of the country all aimed at achieving the same objective, hence it is pertinent for all participants to put hands on deck to see that they contribute their own quota in the fight against corruption by paying attention to the presentations that will be made at the event.

Earlier, Hon. Abulrazak Nuhu Zaki, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bauchi, said that good governance would curb the menace of corruption in the society.

He added that traditional and religious leaders should be provided with a conducive environment and logistics to hold their subjects responsible and fight unacceptable practices.

In his paper Nura Yusuf Kobi Bauchi, director National orientation agency (NOA) on the role of traditional and religious leaders on advancing core values, national ethics and Integrity for behavioral change, said leaders should create a community platform to discuss the policy contents.

“As Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders. Media/Civil Society Organizations, I am pleading with you to become Ambassadors of Peace for this County and propagate the 7 Core Values of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy for Behavioral Change in your various platform and pulpit whether on Fridays or Sundays or ordinary days of Services in your respective places of worships to propagate the gospel of peace, unity and oneness.

“The idea is to de-escalate tension, worriedness and come out with solutions to our various problems to the government through dialogue with a view to arresting the state of insecurity that seems to have confounded our problem, especially now that we are approaching the 2023 General Election.”