The South-East Attorneys General have been advised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to step up their fight against corruption in the region.
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Dr Musa Aliyu, chairman of the ICPC, made the request during Thursday’s roundtable meeting in Enugu with the state solicitors general from the South-East Zone.
As its topic, the event aimed to advance the national anti-corruption strategy in Nigeria’s south-east region by strengthening subnational synergies for corruption prevention.
In order to build a strong and efficient anti-corruption framework, Aliyu said that cooperation between the ICPC and the state AGs was crucial.
He said that the engagement was planned to be an interactive forum for open dialogue, information exchange, and the joint development of strategies adapted to the specific possibilities and threats faced by each area.
You are in a crucial position within the legal system as the top law enforcement officials of your individual states.
“Your offices play a crucial role in promoting good governance, safeguarding the public interest, and ensuring justice. They are more than just places to get legal assistance.
We know how much responsibility is on your shoulders, but we also know that we can accomplish much more if we don’t operate in isolation.
The goal, according to Aliyu, is to “create a common front against the hydra-headed monster of corruption,” which the group plans to achieve by strengthening its partnerships, exchanging best practices, and working together.
According to the head of the ICPC, the commission was eager to repeat its successful sessions in the South-East after having fruitful ones with other solicitors general in the North-Central and South-South geographical zones.
He emphasised that the conference was crucial for stakeholders to communicate their experiences, identify problems, and come up with long-term solutions to combat corruption.
The engagement aimed to improve the relationship between the ICPC and the five south-east states in order to combat corruption in the zone, according to Dr. Kingsley Udeh, the Enugu State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
He went on to say that he wanted to use the occasion to stress how much more important it is to focus on preventing corruption than on investigating and punishing corrupt people.
“Enugu State has successfully reduced corruption to a significant degree through the institutionalisation of excellent practices in this area.
The use of an electronic platform to collect money, rather than cash, has increased their Internally Generated money, he said, adding that this was a result of their enhanced institutions and governance systems.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ICPC and the southeast states’ chief law officers was made possible by the initiative, according to Mr. Ben Odoh, the attorney general of Ebonyi State.
He made the point that top government officials get distracted from their companies and governance when they accept invitations from ICPC, but the collaboration would let them step down from that activity at the subnational level.
However, state-level corruption problems can be addressed and resolved if solicitors general are granted the opportunity to obtain petitions and collaborate with ICPC. Yes, it’s a great step forward, and we’re prepared to implement the plan,” Odoh stated.
Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes Chairman Sen. Emmanuel Udende expressed his gratitude for the effort, calling it both smart and well-timed.
He praised ICPC for always being ahead of the curve when it came to fighting corruption, promoting integrity, and reforming institutions.
He emphasised that this discussion was an additional courageous and praiseworthy move towards decentralising anti-corruption efforts and encouraging cooperation between federal and state entities.