The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for its renewed assault on corrupt practices in the public service.
The group said ICPC’s revelations on the scope and extent of graft and stealing in the civil service is not only shocking but appalling and frightening.
It also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for putting a no-nonsense anti-corruption crusader, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye in charge of the agency to drive his agenda of cleaning up the civil service.
BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, that recent revelations showed that the anti-graft body has in recent times raised the bar in the anti-graft crusade.
“Not since the tenure of the late Justice Mustapha Akanbi have Nigerians witnessed so much activity by the ICPC, targeted at checking corruption in the public sector.
“It’s not even ten months since Professor Owasanoye assumed duty as ICPC chairman after his stint as Executive Secretary and head of Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), and Nigerians are seeing how well the President has chosen.
“Having helped draft a number of policy and strategy documents at PACAC, the ICPC chairman has been creating rumbles in the civil service by exposing a lot of unethical practices.
“Imagine a situation where a number of Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs) have been found to have either padded the 2019 budget or inflated contracts?
“How about a situation where 59 directors in one ministry are under investigation over a N 3.3bn fraud, according to the ICPC chairman?
“We acknowledge that this is one of the cases of outright stealing the Buhari administration is keen on putting an end to in the public sector,” it added.
BMO also expressed hope that ICPC would not relent in its efforts, especially as its profile is on the rise now.
“Aside from giving insight into the agency’s recent successes, we urge Professor Owasanoye and his team to ensure diligent prosecution of any public officials at trial.
“We agree with the ICPC that appropriate sanctions should be taken against indicted public officials and we are encouraged that names have been forwarded to the Presidency for necessary action.
“The agency’s decision to focus on constituency projects is also one that is bound to ensure that Nigerians get good value for funds budgeted for such initiatives.”
The group noted that with the new momentum at ICPC, Nigeria now has a functional multi-pronged approach to the fight against corruption under President Buhari.
