PEEVED with Nigeria always being used as an example of corrupt countries, in the international community, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Barr. Ekpo Nta, declared that the commission is irrevocably committed to rid the nation of all forms of corruption and corrupt practices.
This, Nta said at the Bayelsa State Anti-Corruption Summit with its theme “Transparency and Accountability institutionalization of good governance for sustainable development,” in Yenagoa.
He said the commission has a mission to change the hydra-headed monster, through stiff sanctions and preventive measures. With a mandate to receive complaints and carry out investigation and prosecution of cases, just as he noted that the commission would also combat procedures that aid fraud or corruption.
Continuing, he noted that the commission’s mandate includes creating awareness to empower the public to resist corruption, and embrace integrity through education in the country.
Nta, supported by the state government unveiled the Anti-Corruption Campaign with its theme “Support the Fight against Corruption in Bayelsa State”.
The ICPC Chairman, who defined corruption as Abuse of Public Office for private Gain or Influence Peddling, enjoined public office holders and private individuals to stand for the truth. He also noted, diversion of public funds to a project for which it was not assigned without informing appropriate authority is a corrupt offence.
Nta reiterated that a situation where N100m is approved for road is diverted to build schools without informing the authority is purely a corrupt offence.
“The Biometric Verification Number (BVN) was deployed to check payroll fraud at the federal level,” Nta submitted.
The ICPC Boss also sent warning to communities in the habit of demanding compensation in millions of naira to appease deities before allowing road construction by government. An instance where such monies collected were paid into a fixed deposit account on behalf of the deities, at the long run the perpetrators were jailed for corruption.
He sent a warning to those involved in online duping, the long arms of the law would catch up with them, while commending Bayelsa Government as the first in the south-south and south-east geopolitical zone to apply for the anti-corruption summit in yenagoa.
He explained that in-as-much as ICPC is ready to entertain complaints, petitions written out of malice is also an offence that could be charged to court. Petitions must be truthful and without prejudice.
Nta, however, noted that the commission is independent with no agency or government interfering with their functions. He noted that nobody gives any directive to the commission.
He pointed that states’ where the Chief Executives before assuming office had held previous offices of trust are likely not to deviate from what is expected of them in promoting values, culture of governance and zero tolerance for corrupt offences. He lauded the Bayelsa monthly transparency briefing, where every kobo that came into its coffer is accounted for to the people of the state.
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