The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU)

  • BPE to directors: Violate code, face EFCC, ICPC

    BPE to directors: Violate code, face EFCC, ICPC

    • Institutes code of ethics for alternate directors

    The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is placing investigation, sanction, sack and wrath of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) ahead of its directors.

    A highly place reliable source at the Presidency, who made this disclosure to The Nation in Abuja on Wednesday, added that the sanctions are part of the measures to tackle corruption in the Code of Ethics that the new Director General of the Bureau, Mr Alex Okoh has instituted.

    Enforcement and compliance with the code of ethics by directors and alternate directors shall be part of the monitoring mandate of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) that the ICPC will inaugurate on Friday.

    According to the source, “the BPE has instituted a code of ethics for directors and alternate directors representing BPE on boards of privatised enterprises on behalf Federal Government of Nigeria.”

    It was however learnt that the code of ethics applies to the director sitting on the board of privatised enterprises in which the federal government has equity or interest and any such person that may be nominated to act as alternate director of the directors’ behalf.

    A document that The Nation stumbled on in Abuja said that “in the event that the director/alternate directors violate the terms of this code of ethics, the bureau shall impose appropriate disciplinary measures of impropriety as contained in S.14 of the BPE staff manual.

    This would be without prejudice to the penalties imposed under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004; and any other relevant laws.

    “In addition to sanctioning regime contained in Clause 14 of the BPE Staff Manual, the Director shall withdraw the nomination of  Alternate Director found culpable of violating this Code of Ethics.”

    The Director General had on assumption of office on April 21 said that his administration would also work to sustain the positive image of the Bureau while at the same time strive to change the negative perception held by some people about the BPE in the execution of its mandate.

    He promised to step up the post-privatization monitoring activities of the Bureau to ensure that owners of privatised enterprises live up to the covenants they signed with the Bureau so that Nigerians could derive maximum benefits from the privatised enterprises.

    The code of ethics for director/alternate directors that he has now instituted is that they (directors) “Report to the Bureau any concerns about unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation of the Enterprise’s Code of Conduct Policy.

    “Act within his authority to protect the legitimate interest of the Enterprise, the FGN, Shareholders and its Employees.

    Where he has concerns about the running of the Enterprise or a proposed action, ensure that these are addressed by the Board and to the extent that they are not resolved, insist that the concerns are recorded in the minutes of the Board meeting.

    “Refrain from intruding in administrative issues that are the responsibility of the management of the Enterprise, except to monitor the results and ensure that procedures are consistent with Board Policy.

    “The Director/Alternate Directors shall ensure that their interaction with other Board members and representatives of the company before a Board meeting or a Board function are above board with no real or perceived indication of compromise on his part.

    ” The Director/Alternate Directors shall ensure that decisions on aspects that are provided for in the acquisition documents with the Bureau must be adhered to. Where there is the insistence of going against enshrined provisions in divestiture Agreements, the Director/Alternate Directors must insist on being recorded as disagreeing with the decision.

    The Director/Alternate Directors shall develop the ability to listen well, courage to speak up, patience and capability to ask the tough, probing but tactful questions in a way that doesn’t alienate others and that is helpful, not embarrassing, to the management of the Enterprise.

    “The Director/Alternate Directors shall ensure that critical matters that have come before the Board for consideration have first been filtered and considered by the relevant Sub-Committees.

    “The Director/Alternate Directors shall undertake the diligent analysis of all proposals placed before the Board and act with the level of skill expected from Directors.

    “The Director/Alternate Directors shall carry out their fiduciary obligations responsibly, that is, to take appropriate measures to ensure that the Board uses the Enterprises resources efficiently, economically and effectively, avoiding waste and extravagance; and

    “Attend the interaction forum for Board Members within the Bureau as a peer review tool and also a learning curve for future improvement.”

    It was, however, learnt that the tenure of an Alternate Director so designated by the Director shall be one year, subject to renewal for a maximum of one more year, at the discretion of the Director-General.

  • Federal University, Birnin Kebbi gets anti-corruption committee

    Federal University, Birnin Kebbi gets anti-corruption committee

    The North-West zonal office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Wednesday inaugurated an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi.

    Mr Olusegun Adigun, the Zonal Commissioner, in a brief speech at the ceremony, charged the 6-member unit to be vigilant and ensure transparency and accountability in the university’s activities.

    “We are not suggesting that the institution has not been transparent in its activities; we only want to emphasise that the committee should be watchful,” he said.

    He advised members to thoroughly investigate petitions received, and stressed the need to invite those affected to respond to the allegations.

    Dr. Sahabi Jabo, the acting Vice Chancellor, in his remarks, advised the committee to be fair and uphold equity.

    “There should be no discrimination in the quest to eradicate corruption. There will be no sacred cows,” he said.

    The Chairman of the unit, Dr. Sirajo Abdulrahman, promised that the committee would work toward preventing corrupt practices, and pledged to be fair to all.

  • JAMB arrests 25 persons over illegal sale of UTME materials

    JAMB arrests 25 persons over illegal sale of UTME materials

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has arrested 25 persons over illegal registration and sale of 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) materials.

    JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said the individuals arrested were  selling registration materials to the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to candidates.

    The suspects, he said, were arrested by a combined team of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU); members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force.

    Oloyede said the e-Brochure and e-Syllabus, which were meant to be free were being sold by the culprits as high as N800 each nationwide.

    He also said the culprits were extorting money and inflating cost of registration for candidates.

    “Our quality assurance unit, particularly the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit had to go out to see what was happening, following reports of extortion.

    “We were having reports that candidates are paying more than the N5,500 that is required.,” Oloyede said..

    “Some of them inflated the prices of registration and application documents, so we had to arrest them to show Nigerians that those items were not supposed to be sold.

    “The arrests were carried out across the country yesterday April 1, and we have handed them over to the Nigerian Police for prosecution, ” he said.

    He urged applicants seeking to register for the forthcoming UTME to go about their registration in line with due processes, to avoid hitches associated with irregularities.

    He noted that JAMB would stick to its stipulated  April-ending deadline  for registration for this year’s examination.

    Oloyede debunked complaints about  poor internet connectivity.

    According to him, many of the business centres who wanted  JAMB  to return to the old practice or producers of the scratch cards are behind the complaints.

    Oloyede also assured all applicants that they would be registered for the exercise before the end of the month.

  • Varsity don advocates review of Nigeria criminal justice system

    Dr Abiodun Amusan of the Health Services Department, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has advocated the need to review and reform Nigerian criminal justice system to meet present realities.

    Amusan made this call at the occasion of a one day sensitisation/inauguration Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), in Benin on Thursday.

    Speaking on the topic, “Fumigating Corruption In The Health Sector”, Amusan noted that the present justice system have rendered the fight against corruption ineffective.

    While calling for the enactment of effective laws and policies by government, he urged that corruption should be “criminalized” and should no longer be referred to as “practice” so ICPC should become ICCC.

    He also stressed the need for the immediate review of laws and power enshrined in the constitution of anti graft agencies to empower them for better performance.

    The speaker who noted that corruption in the health sector is infectious, appealed for prompt prosecution of indicted officials.

    He said corruption hinders patients access to health care, adding that corruption adversely affects expected outcome of all health intervention efforts.

    Amusan regretted that corruption trend in Nigeria is on the increase, further said corruption is detrimental to the safety of patients.

    The university don listed corruption in the health sector to include corruption among doctors, nurses, laboratories and corruption among patients.

    He listed the categories of corruption in these departments to include, doctors using official hours to attend to private patients, manufacturing of fake and sub-standard drugs and medical report falsification for a fee or favour.

     

    Others are, collection of illegal fee and medical consumables from patients, preferential searching of case files of favorites and falsification of results for tests not done.

    Speaking earlier, the Commissioner in board of  ICPC in Edo/Delta, Mr Olukile Olusesan bemoaned that most Nigerians who do not engage in corrupt practices directly accommodate it.

    “Our level of tolerance for corruption is amazing.

    “The truth about it is that a sizable number of Nigerians have driven us to a remorseful bus stop where the only way out is to change and support the government lofty programmes for a better Nigeria,” he said.

    The  event was concluded with the inauguration of the UBTH unit of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, under the chairmanship of Dr Emmanuel Egwaihide.

     

     

  • ICPC step up campaign against corruption

    ICPC step up campaign against corruption

    The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)‎, on Wednesday stepped up campaign against corruption by inaugurating the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the University of Benin (INIBEN).

    The Commissioner ‎of ICPC in Edo/Delta, Mr Olukile Olusesan, during the inauguration, charged members of the unit to be alive to their responsibility.

    He noted that ACTU was not set up to act as a parallel operational unit in the office of chief executives, but a complimentary instrument to checkmate corrupt practices in institutions.

    He said to fight institutional corruption in the Nigerian system, there must be functional and value driven linkages between anti-corruption agencies and institutions

    Olusesan added  that the responsiveness to attitudinal challenges by members of the committee will go a long way in the process of natural rebirth.

    ‎He said more ACTU committees would be set up in other institutions and government agencies in the state, starting with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on Thursday.

    UNIBEN ACTU members is made up of 11 senior lecturers drawn from various faculties of the university and two other non teaching staff members of the institutions.
    The unit is under the chairmanship ofProf Ahbor Ighoroje of the Department of Physiology as chairman.

    Other members of the committee are Prof. D.I. Teilanyo, Prof. (Mrs) A.O. Aisen, Prof (Mrs) C. Okiemen, Dr Friday Ezomo and Engineer Johatem Edoreh.

    Responding, Prof  Ighoroje, assured of the preparedness of the committee to work with the ICPC in order to tackle corruption.