Enforcement Alone Can’t Get Rid of Corruption in Nigeria – ICPC Chair

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye says enforcement alone cannot get rid of corruption in Nigeria.

Owasanoye said eradicating corruption would require attitudinal change and the promotion of core societal values.

The chairman, represented by Mr Hassan Mohammed, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner in Kaduna State,  said this on Tuesday in Kaduna during a sensitisation workshop on the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP)

He said that citizens must respect the laws of the land, keep their words, do their duties with diligence, respect and value other human beings.

“The citizens must not get involved in stealing from the government, cheating others or any form of deception,” he added.

The ICPC chairman, however, said that the reality of the situation in Nigeria “is that many people are far from the
ideal”, as such it would require intentional efforts to turn things around.

Owasanoye said the ICPC has designed many programmes and initiatives to bring about behavioural change in the society.

These, he said, included the National Values Curriculum for teaching of positive values to pupils and students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions; the NEIP; and Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard for MDAs.

The ICPC chairman urged the participants to ensure constant communication of the NEIP to relevant stakeholders to get their support and help to spread it.

Also, the Secretary to Kaduna State Government (SSG), Malam Balarabe Abbas, said one cannot add value to society without having integrity.

Abbas, represented by Nuhu Ishaku-Buzun, Permanent Secretary Cabinet and Political Affairs, called on Nigerians to teach the values of honesty and integrity from the homes, to ensure a corrupt-free society.

Earlier, Mr Bello Bakori, who spoke on behalf of Kaduna Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, said the objective of the workshop was to bring about positive behavioural change in the country.

He explained that the NEIP was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the National Orientation Agency to enhance societal core values.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stakeholders at the workshop cut across civil societies, faith and community based associations, the media, youth groups, professional bodies, and organised private sector, among others.

The workshop was supported by the MacArthur Foundation, which is partnering ICPC and Anti-Corruption Academy of
Nigeria to mainstream social norms and behavioural change approaches into anti-corruption research, training and operations.