The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its bid to block corruption-prone loopholes in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) has enlightened executive members of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in the South-South zone with the knowledge of some key initiatives of the Commission.
The initiatives include the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP), Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), and the Constituency & Executives Projects Tracking Exercise.
Speaking at the opening of a 3-day event held at Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State for chairmen and secretaries of ACTUs in Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and tertiary institutions, the Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) said there is a great need to spread and promote the core values of the policy in their various establishments.
Prof Owasanoye, who was represented by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RACC) Akwa Ibom State office, Mr Olusola Shodipo, said that the ACTU would continue to be a vibrant tool in diminishing corruption in the public service of Nigeria.
He promised that the Commission would not relent in building the capacity of ACTUs in MDAs to enable them to achieve their mandate and that of the Commission to reduce corruption in the public service.
He expressed the belief that the training would equip the participants with basic knowledge of the NEIP and enlist their support in promoting the 7 core values in the workplace and society at large.
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In his paper presentation titled “Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) as a Value Reorientation Tool in the Public Service”,
The ICPC Chairman explained that the scorecard was aimed at evaluating the performance of MDAs on ethics and compliance standards based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ascertain strengths, failures, and vulnerabilities of systems and procedures.
He urged the ACTU executives to strive to meet all the criteria demanded in deploying the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard as it would enhance their productivity and efficiency and project their organizations as fully compliant.
Also in one of his paper presentations titled Overview of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy, Assistant Director Public Enlightenment and Education Department of ICPC, John Okor Odey highlighted the 7 core values and how participants can imbibe them while stressing the importance of rescuing the Nigerian State and her citizens from the grip of corruption.
During the interactive discussion at the event, participants appealed to the Commission to organise similar meetings with their CEOs to enable them to appreciate the NEIP, as well as address challenges in the implementation and monitoring of the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking initiative of ICPC and also enlighten them on the true role of the ACTUs in the MDAs.
