The chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN) yesterday, said the absence of adequate sanctions for offenders and proper reward regimes for people above board had been the bane of policies implemented in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Owasanoye disclosed this at a one day stakeholders zonal dialogue on the implementation of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy, South-South edition held in Benin City, Edo State capital.
The event was organised by the ICPC in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
Represented by a member of National Ethics and Integrity Policy Board, Dr Grace Chinda, the ICPC boss said the country does not lack laws and policies aimed at curbing corruption and indiscipline but lacks the implementation and effective enforcement, based on well designed and implementable procedure.
He said; “Nigeria is never lacking In-laws and policies aimed at curbing corruption and indiscipline, perhaps, the problem is implementation and effective enforcement, based on well designed and implementable Standard Operational Procedure(SOP)
“For government policies to succeed, they must be people-driven and not government-driven. This is the difference between the National Ethics and Integrity Policy and previous similar policies that have gone moribund and obsolete.”
He said the National Ethics and Integrity Policy contains features such as consequences management and implementation templates, and that the dialogue will take place across the country, on a zonal basis involving segments of the society, especially the youth.
In his speech, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari, represented by the State Director, Mrs Grace Ewere-Eseka, said, the National Orientation Agency(NOA) will continue to work with ICPC so that the vision to rejuvenate and resuscitate our good moral values of yesteryears will be achieved. He encouraged the citizenry to own and drive the implementation of the policy in the country.
The National Ethics and Integrity Policy was adopted by the federal government on the 19th August 2020 and launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on 28th September 2020.
Source: Vanguard