KEY POINTS
- ICPC warns NDDC staff against engaging in corruption.
- Offenders risk prosecution and asset seizure.
- Regular workshops aim to prevent corruption in the NDDC.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has issued a stark warning to employees of the Niger Delta Development Commission: stay away from corrupt acts or face the law.
The caution came during the commission’s quarterly anti-corruption sensitisation workshop in Port Harcourt, where officials emphasised that graft undermines development in the Niger Delta. The workshop was organised to remind staff of the legal consequences of corrupt behaviour and the need for integrity in public service.
ICPC warns NDDC staff against corruption
Mrs. Ekere Usiere, ICPC’s anti-corruption commissioner for Rivers and Bayelsa states, told attendees that any employee caught engaging in corrupt practices would face prosecution. She also underscored the critical role of the NDDC in regional development and said periodic sensitisation sessions were essential to keep workers informed on ethical obligations.
“This workshop serves as an antidote to corrupt practices,” Usiere said, noting the theme focused on offences in anti-graft laws and preventive measures. Furthermore, she stressed that staff must distance themselves from corruption to protect the NDDC’s credibility.
Strengthening anti-corruption units in the NDDC
Dr. Evans Peters, head of ICPC’s legal department in Rivers, urged the NDDC to empower its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit. He advised the commission to develop a code of ethics, review vulnerable processes regularly, also close loopholes that allow graft to thrive.
Peters listed offences such as inflating contracts, awarding contracts without budgetary provisions, obstructing investigations, falsifying statements, and failing to report bribery. He warned that proceeds from crime could be seized, and offenders could face jail, regardless of ignorance.
Driving transparency to boost service delivery
Dr. James Fole, representing NDDC’s managing director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said the commission would improve service delivery by promoting transparency and accountability.
“We are passionate about service delivery; hence, we organised this workshop to educate our staff on the need to avoid corrupt acts,” Ogbuku said. He also pledged that the board and management would ensure ethics and values remain entrenched within the commission.
