ICPC introduces anti-corruption clubs in 48 secondary schools

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Monday, said the commission in Kaduna state had introduced anti-corruption clubs in 48 secondary schools.

Speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, Mr Godwin Basheru, the ICPC Principal Superintendent in charge of Education, said the aim of the anti-corruption clubs was to educate and enlighten youths on corruption.

Basheru said the commission took the initiative because it considered youths, most of who are in secondary schools, as critical stakeholders in the fight against corruption.

According to him, the anti-corruption clubs teach the youths how to handle corruption, to know the difference of right from wrong and to take the right decision when faced with corrupt individuals.

Basheru said the commission had inaugurated 26 anti-corruption clubs in 11 schools in 2017, 5 in 2018, three in 2019 and three in 2020.

He added that the commission resuscitated some anti-corruption clubs that had been abandoned in three secondary schools.

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According to him, the schools are: Government Secondary School Narayi, Government Secondary School Television and Queen Amina College all in Kaduna State.

“The anti-corruption clubs in these schools were launched long ago but it was abandoned and we had to resuscitate them to enlighten the youths.

“We have been going around and checking schools that have abandoned the clubs for us to resuscitate it again,” he added.

He further stated that the commission in 2020 would inaugurate more anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools to promote the current fight against corrupt practices.

Basheru said that the cardinal focus of the commission is to institutionalise integrity in the nation through public education, integrity lecture series and youths essay competitions and debates.

“The initiative will serve as a vehicle to project the values taught in the classrooms and ground students in practical behaviour,’’ he said.

He advised students to be upright in all that they do so that they are seen as role models worthy of emulation by their peers.

(NAN)