The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s basic education sector through a strengthened partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), made this known on Tuesday when he received the Executive Secretary of the UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, and her management team during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The chairman, in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director, Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare, described the visit as a milestone in inter-agency collaboration.
Dr. Aliyu said the two institutions share a common mandate in ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance in the management of public resources, particularly funds allocated to the education sector.
According to him, the renewed partnership would help guarantee that resources meant for educational development are efficiently utilized to benefit Nigerian children.
While commending Dr. Garba’s leadership and UBEC’s drive to deliver free, compulsory, and quality basic education, Dr. Aliyu explained that the ICPC’s anti-corruption strategy extends beyond enforcement to include preventive measures, system reviews, and public enlightenment.
He also highlighted the commission’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) as a key tool in monitoring UBEC-funded projects nationwide.
The initiative, he said, ensures transparency, quality delivery, and value for money in educational infrastructure and program implementation.
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The UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, stressing that UBEC has taken deliberate steps to entrench integrity and transparency within its operations.
She disclosed that Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) have been established across UBEC offices to promote ethical conduct, adding that the commission recently underwent and passed a procurement audit by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), demonstrating full compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
Dr. Garba further noted that all UBEC officials at the federal, zonal, and state levels have subscribed to a code of transparency to ensure accountability at all tiers of operation.
Describing the partnership with ICPC as strategic, she sought the commission’s technical support in implementing anti-corruption frameworks across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The meeting ended with both agencies agreeing to formalize their partnership through a memorandum of understanding, aimed at deepening collaboration, safeguarding educational resources, and strengthening integrity in governance.
