The Federal Government has called on State Commissioners of Information to join hands with Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) to fight corruption.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, made the call when he declared open a one-day Rountable Engagement on Strategic integration in fighting against corruption on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Rountable with the theme, “Partnership for Strengthening Transparency and Accountability at State and Local Government Levels Through Strategic Communications”, was organised by ICPC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that those in attendance include Commissioners of Information from Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Borno, Kwara, Ogun, Cross River, Taraba, Rivers, Kogi and Zamfara States.
Others are those of Adamawa, Kano, Bauchi, Yobe, Anambra, Gombe etc.
Also in attendance were the Directors-General of Voice of Nigeria, Malam Jibrin Ndace, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr Mohammed Bulama, National Orientation Agency, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu and some officials from the Presidency and National Assembly.
Idris said that fight against corruption is in line with 8-point priorities of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He commended ICPC for the theme, adding that the presence of all the state Commissioners of Information, who have the onerous task of disseminating and cascading information to other strata of the Nigerian society, is remarkable.
“Fighting corruption is indeed one of the eight-point priority areas of the President Tinubu’s administration and that is why the president is strengthening the institutional framework to fight corruption, especially through the ICPC and EFCC.
“By its policy of non-interference, the Tinubu administration has made it clear that anti-corruption agencies are not instruments of political witch-hunt; they operate with independence and professionalism in line with the established rule of law.
“However, the President has vowed that there will be no safe haven for corruption in Nigeria and he is also advancing far-reaching judicial reforms aimed at curbing unnecessary delays in corruption trials, ensuring that justice is neither denied nor endlessly deferred.
“I want to implore all of you, that irrespective of the political parties you belong to, is important you identify with the massive opportunities inherent in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
“I want to draw our attention to the need to leverage the vast and effective assets of the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, to achieve effective outreach across Nigeria.
“I also want to implore you to partners with ICPC in this very important task they have in ridding Nigeria, not just of corruption but also the perception of corruption that is doing more harm than good to the people of this country,” Idris said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruptionand Financial Crimes, Sen. Emmanuel Udende, described ICPC as custodian of public trust.
Udende urged the ICPC to continue to open its doors and share insights and see the machinery of information in the state not as a peripheral entity but as core operational power.
Udende, who was represented at the event by Mr Uboh Emelike, challenged the Commissioners to embrace the programme with zeal and creativity.
“See yourselves as generals in this war and with power of communication to win the hearts and minds of the people.
“Let us leave this room with a common agenda; a blueprint that will ensure our message of transparency accountability and integrity transverse the length and breadth of this country.
“Together, by strategically integrating communication into the anti-corruption architecture, we can build the Nigeria that we deserve,” Udende said.
The Chairman, House Committee on Anti-corruption, Rep. Kayode Akiolu urged the ICPC, Information Commissioners and other stakeholders to joins and create a corrupt-free country where governance is transparent accountable and true representative of the people.
The Commissioners of Information and Internal Security of Borno, Prof. Usman Tar, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, appreciated ICPC and the federal government, promising they would collaborate with the relevant authorities to fight corruption