ICPC Charges NGOs To Join In Fight Against Social Vices
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has called on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to collaborate with statutory agencies in the fight against social vices and to promote national ethics and integrity in the country.
The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, who was represented by a board member of the Commission, Dr Louis Solomon Mandama, mni, stated this when members of a Non-Governmental Organization, the Campaign Against all Tools that Trigger Anti-Social Vices visited the Commission.
Owasanoye noted that it was the responsibility of NGOs to collaborate with statutory agencies to ensure that social vices such as examination malpractices, political hooligans, cultism, drug abuse, targeted assassinations, abductions, terrorism and cyber-crimes were eradicated in society.
The ICPC boss emphasized that the state of insecurity and other social vices were critical, maintaining that only when citizens align themselves with positive attitudinal change with the view of promoting our national values so that we would experience a better society.
He further highlighted the tripartite mandate of ICPC namely Enforcement, Prevention and Public mobilisation, adding that the Commission in its preventive approach had initiated the tracking of the constituency and executive projects, National Ethics and Integrity Policy as well as the clamping down on Illicit Financial Flows.
Earlier in his remarks, the National Convener of the Campaign against all Tools that Trigger Anti-social Vices, Pastor Henry Hilary, said no religion promotes anti-social behaviours.
He pointed out the need for heads of religious bodies like pastors and imams to collaborate to ensure that members were given the right information that would help inculcate moral values in them.
He further noted that the group was proposing a National Inter-Faith Military and Paramilitary Security Summit whose objective was to foster mutual understanding, trust and better relationships between civilians and uniformed security operatives for maximum security in general.
The highlight of the event was a handover of IEC materials to the organization by the representative of the ICPC Chairman.
… Inaugurates UNTH’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has inaugurated the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
The ICPC Enugu State Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RACC), Mr. Kennedy Ebhotemen, who took charge of the inauguration ceremony, commended the management and staff of the Hospital for making the inauguration and induction of ACTU in the institution possible, stating that the ACTU, an initiative of the Commission, was approved by the Federal Government to serve as an in-house mechanism for corruption prevention within MDAs.
The Commissioner appealed to the UNTH management to give the ACTU members the enabling environment to fully carry out their duties and to assist in the funding of the activities of the unit as provided for in the extant circular of government dated 5th October, 2016.
He implored the ACTU members to work hard as a team and appealed to them not to use their positions to witch-hunt or victimize anybody, but to work towards entrenching the culture of integrity, transparency and accountability in the Hospital.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UNTH, Prof. Obinna Onodugo, who was represented by the CMAC of the Hospital, Prof. Val Ugwu, applauded the ICPC for establishing ACTU in the Hospital.
Ugwu pledged the cooperation of management to the ACTU members and support for the activities of the Unit.
In his acceptance speech, the newly inaugurated ACTU Chairman, Mr. Okoro Emmanuel, said, “With a humble heart, I and my team accept the responsibility of being the eyes and ears of ICPC in this Hospital”.
He pledged to work assiduously with other members of the Unit in actualizing the mandates of ACTU to the mutual benefits of the Hospital and the society at large.
The newly inaugurated ACTU members of UNTH include the Chairman, Okoro Emmanuel, the Secretary, Okey Grace as well as members Uzor Ifeyinwa, Okorie Eucharia and Ani Ezra.
Highlights of the occasion was the administration of the oath of allegiance, and the presentation of IEC materials to the representative of the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital.
