CSOs Partner Senate, Presidency on Implementation of Anti-corruption Strategy
- Senate committee on anti-corruption and financial crimes has organised a day public hearing for stakeholders in the anti-graft war
- The chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Kwari, said that the committee has established regulatory compliance and government charter
- Fatima Waziri-Azi, senior special assistant on rule of law, at the office of the vice president, in her presentation called for the adoption of data in the report template of the MDAs
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In its effort to review the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CFTIW) has partnered with the Senate committee on anti-corruption and financial crimes.
In a statement issued and seen by Legit.ng, the committee, chaired by Senator Suleiman Kwari representing Kaduna North, had on June 9 and 10, organised a public hearing for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Source: Facebook
It was also stated that the vice president's office, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption (TUGAR), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) and other civil society organizations attended the hearing.
In his address, Senator Kwari, listed the establishment of an anti-corruption desk, risk management charter, regulatory compliance and government charter, internal audit charter, and the corruption investigation manual, as achievements of the NACS implementation.
The senator, however, explained how COVID-19 and the EndSARS demonstration stalled the petroleum downstream deregulation.
He said though the crash of oil prices due to the pandemic gave Nigeria an opportunity to remove subsidies, the protests forced the government to reconsider.
The chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owansanoye, in his presentation, announced that the commission has been conducting corruption risk assessments of some MDAs.
He said the agency is focusing on the prevention of corruption. One of the strategies highlighted was the "system survey of the MDAs and corruption risk assessment."
Senator Kwari commended Owansanoye for ICPC efforts and mandated all participants to use the commission's template for the performance appraisal.
Source: Facebook
The auditor general's office, Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Office of the Head of Civil Service (HOSF) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) also appeared before the committee.
The NCS mentioned the establishment of the Nigeria Integrated Customs Systems. The platform grants stakeholders access to update the system from the comfort of their homes or offices.
The agency told the committee that an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) has also been set up at its headquarters, seaports and airports in line with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines.
Aliyu Aliyu, BPP Head of Regulations and Database, said the agency had developed a database system and is streamlining the procurement process of the government.
The Auditor-General, represented by the Director of Audit, Gandu Magaji, confirmed the staff have been sensitized on the NACS, forensic audit, and that an ACTU unit is operational. The TUGAR Chairman added that he ensures MDAs implement the strategy.
The VP's office, represented by Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, senior special assistant on rule of law, called for the adoption of data in the report template of the MDAs. She stressed that data will help in measuring the impact of the strategy.
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ICPC asks CCB to publish assets of public servants
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the ICPC called for the publication of assets declared by public and civil servants by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
It was reported that the anti-graft agency said this would help in curbing corruption and corrupt practices in the public sector.
The chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, as stating this during a meeting with the chairman and board members of CCB.
Source: Legit.ng
