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Friday 23 August 2013

How to tame corruption, by IGP, Akanbi, Agabi, others

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar; pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi and two others have suggested ways the nation can effectively tackle corruption.
Abubakar and a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Abiodun Layonu, advocated an increase in the funding of anti-graft and related agencies.
Justice Akanbi and a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN), said the anti-graft fight required the support of all for the nation to succeed in stopping impunity.
They spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of the maiden edition of the ICPC Law Report, a compilation of 21 cases (criminal and civil) which the commission prosecuted and won in court.
Abubakar said for the nation to succeed in its anti-corruption fight, the agencies saddled with the responsibility must be well funded.
“How do you fight corruption when you are not well paid, not well trained and not well motivated?” he queried.
The IGP said the fight against corruption was difficult because it require the commitment of all.
He stressed that to succeed in the anti-graft war, the anti-graft agencies’ personnel must be committed.
The police chief said such workers were faced daily with temptation in the course of their duties.
To succeed, Abubakar said such workers should be well motivated, well trained and well paid.
He called for enhanced collaboration among agencies involved in the fight against malfeasance and other vices to boost their performance.
Justice Akanbi urged public officers to operate with the fear of God and be committed to their duties.
The former President of the Court of Appeal, who recalled the challenges he encountered in ICPC‘s said early days, the commission’s major problem was funding.
“You cannot run an anti-corruption body if you are not well funded,” he said.
Justice Akanbi, who headed the ICPC between 2000 and 2005, attributed the successes he recorded to the non-interference in the commission’s activities by the three Attorneys-General of the Federation under who he served.
He frowned at the reported insistence of the incumbent AGF to oversee ICPC‘s activities. Justice Mustapha said the decision could cost the commission its independence.
He praised the ICPC leadership for the Law Report, which he said would serve as a legacy for future generation.
Justice Agabi, who reviewed the Law Report, published by ICPC and a private organisation, argued that a few people were leading the nation corruption war.
He called for coordinated efforts to end acts of malfeasance and impunity in the country.
“No effort was too much to fight corruption. Unless we, as a nation resolve that we are guilty and change our ways, we are going nowhere.
“The problem we are having is just from a few people. And they will not prevail. Evil will not prevail. In this country, we behave as if we do not have ears. But on the last day, when God calls you to either His right or left hand side, would you not hear?” he said.

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