The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has called on the media to buy into the ongoing war against corruption in the country.
State Commissioner for ICPC, Mr Chile Ogwuegbu made this call during an interactive session organized by the commission for members of Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, in Makurdi.
Mr Ugwuegbu said the ICPC was working hard to block all avenues of leakages to ensure that more government funds are saved for projects that will impact more meaningfully on the lives of Nigerians.
He noted that the commission has developed various initiatives to discourage citizens from acts of corruption.
To catch them young, Ogwuegbu said one of such initiatives was the National Values Curriculum developed by the commission in 2003 for the teaching of ethics and civics in Nigeria’s educational system.
He explained that the essence was to resuscitate and still moral values in the youths as well as facilitate the raising of a generation of morally upright Nigerians.
“The second is the Constituency and Executive of Projects Tracking Initiative, CEPTI, which began in 2019, focusing on how monies allocated to critical sectors of education, health, agriculture, water resources and power, by the government are utilized.
He also named the National Ethic and Integrity Policy, NEIP, as part of efforts of the commission to change public mindset about corruption, reduce incidences and ways it can be controlled, restore public trust in governance and influence change of attitude for the better among the citizens thereby restoring the traditional national core values of honesty, transparency, accountability and respect for the rule of law.
He therefore enjoyed the media to collaborate with the commission to enable it carry out its responsibilities of ridding the country of corruption.
“What we are basically asking for is for you to buy into this war against corruption. Take it as your own fight. Every responsible citizen should take up this fight as his or her own because the way we are going, sincerely, if we allow things to continue like this, the future is very bleak for us.”
The Zonal Director, Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Makurdi Network Center, Pam Dung Nyam, while welcoming the ICPC commissioner and members of CAMPAN to the station, venue of the event, said the media is very critical partners in the fight against corruption.
Mr Pam Dung Nyam who expressed hope that the session will enrich participants encouraged CAMPAN members to contribute their honest quota to making the country corruption free.
Earlier, the Chairman of CAMPAN, Makurdi Diocese, Josephine Nyiakula thanked the ICPC for organizing the session and pledged to partner with the commission to ensure that corruption in state is reduced its barest minimum noting that as a body saddled with the responsibility of promoting the ideals of the Gospel, it was a CAMPAN will continue to support government in the fight against societal ills#
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