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From Geoffrey Anyanwu and Precious Ali, Enugu
Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said that only a corrupt-free Nigeria can assure the teeming youths of gainful employment, guarantee qualitative healthcare system, functional education, good infrastructure and a prosperous economy for the people of country.
The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), who spoke in Enugu at a One-day Sensitization Workshop for Stakeholders on bringing about Behavioral Change in the society using the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP) held at the Amadeo Event Centre, Enugu, said the sensitization became imperative following the Commission’s realization for a change of approach to the fight against corruption.
Owasanoye (SAN), who was represented by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (ICPC) Enugu and Ebonyi State Office, Mr. Kennedy Ebhotemen, said: “In the course of the work of the Commission, it has become imperative to acknowledge that the law and order approach to the fight against corruption (Enforcement) alone is not enough to get rid of the menace from the society. With the present realities facing the nation, if we do not change our behavours, we may not be able to bring about the changes that we desire in our society.
“The ideal behaviour for citizens is that they should respect the laws of the land, keep their words do their duty with diligence, respect and value other human beings, not get involved in stealing from the government, cheating others or any form of deception. Unfortunately, the reality is that many people are far from the ideal. Therefore, there is a need to make intentional efforts to turn around negative behaviours to positive ones through the inculcation of positive values.
“The Commission has designed several programmes and initiatives to bring about behavioural change in the society. These include the National Values Curriculum (NVC) for teaching of positive values to pupils and students at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions, the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP) for promoting integrity in the society generally, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to measure the level of compliance to integrity standards in government bodies, amongst other initiatives.”
Ebhotemen in his welcome address presented on his behalf by a senior Officer of the Commission, Enosa Omoghibo, said active involvement and engagement of stakeholders in the fight against corruption had become imperative.
His words: “Certainly, ordinary citizens are usually at the receiving ends of corruption and since government agencies cannot be everywhere. It follows that the people mostly affected must be engaged in the crusade.
“This training workshop therefore underscores the need for constant communication of these initiatives to the relevant stakeholders to secure their support and to help in disseminating the information and message of behavioral change.”
In her goodwill message at the event, the Country Director, Global Society for Anti-corruption (GSAT), Mrs. Amaka Nweke, commended the ICPC’s dogged fight against corruption and pledged GSAT’s continued support and collaboration with Commission.
She urged the participants to take the knowledge they would gather in the workshop to influence the society.
The workshop was organized by the ICPC through the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the Commission’s research and training arm, as a project that sought to integrate researches conducted by ACAN with the practical engagement of the Commission’s Public Enlightenment and Education Department and different segments of the society to bring about positive behavioral change in Nigeria.
