James Ojo, Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has said that it has concluded plans to adopt the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), as a centre of excellence in corruption studies, particularly in the area of Corruption Risks Assessment (CRA).
The academy is a training and research arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commisison (ICPC).).
The commission’s spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said this was part of the resolutions at the end of the consultative meeting by the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA).
Okoduwa, said participants at the meeting spoke glowingly on the efforts of ICPC and one of its prime prevention tools, the CRA which provides a basis for the need to apply the tool in the wider sub-region.
Also, Director, Political Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Remi Ajibewa, stressed the need for preventive approach, such as CRA in fighting the scourge of corruption as provided for in Article 5 of ECOWAS protocol.
Dr. Ajibewa who spoke through the
Head, Democracy and Good Governance Division of ECOWAS Commission, Eyesan Okorodudu, who spoke on behalf of Ajibewa, noted that the welfare of citizens had dwindled significantly due to the corrosive effects of corruption.
He expressed gratitude to ICPC for collaborating with the West African regional body to stem the tide of corruption within the sub-region.
Also, Walter Amewu of Economics and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), Ghana and Thiendella Babou, Chief of Department of Administration and Finance, Senegal, respectively revealed that the success story of ICPC’s research and training institute, their respective countries were already working on establishing their own anti-corruption academies to be modeled after the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN).
In his keynote address, ICPC Chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, who was represented by the ACAN Provost, Professor Sola Akinrinade, spoke on the importance of CRA and other prevention initiatives.