Kano anti- graft staffer tops at ICPC training academy

Kano’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission staff Isa Mansur Bello, has emerged as the best student in the recently concluded one month training programme at Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Keffi, Nassarawa state.

Course One training was a Post Graduate Certificate Course in Corruption Prevention and it was the maiden graduation for the participants, held at the Academy.

The Academy is under the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). It is the training and research arm of the Commission, established to train and retrain officers on good governance culture generally. With the view to strengthening transparency and accountability is all sectors.

As an advanced way of strengthening institutions, it was after some rigorous trainings and examination that Kano anti-graft staff stood tall among other trainees who came from Nigeria Equalisation Fund, Nigeria Ports Authority, Federal Inland Revenue Services, Federal Ministry of Transport and the ICPC itself.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state, who was represented by the State Head of Service, Muhammad Awwal Na’iya, at the event emphasized that, “… this marks the culmination of focused and calculated engagement by the Kano state government towards enhancing the capacity of the state in the fight against graft and corruption.”

Investigation shows that, the state anti-graft body, that has the full attentionion of the governor has been performing wonderfully well. Even beyond the governor’s expectation. That was simply as a result the able leadership of the body being put in place by the governor.

As a strategic corruption fighter, who believes in a team work for successful war against the menace, Ganduje says, “In pursuit of this cardinal objective of fighting against corruption, which is in tune with the federal government’s effort to eliminate this threat in all its ramifications, it requires a convergence of collaborative efforts between the federal, state and local governments.”

That was the critical and concerted efforts by the governor, with the aim of entrenching good governance, through the improvement of prudence, transparency and accountability.

He sees Kano to be a pacesetter in the fight against corruption, which according to him, typifies by the re-engineering, refocusing and reinvigoration of the state anti-graft body, together with a renewed and leadership structure.

Because of the overwhelming performances of the Kano Commission, he revealed to the participants at the graduation ceremony that, “To further support the efficient performance of the Commission and despite the financial difficulties facing the country, government has approved the employment of additional staff wherein the total number of 145 were recruited. Out of which some of them are among the graduands of this Course.”

Adding that, “Earlier on we have sponsored 120 for similar training at the EFCC Academy, all with a view to strengthening the capacity of this agency to deliver.”

Signing to Open Government Partnership (OGP) by the state government and the strong working environment at the state Anti-Corruption Commission, were amongst the factors that led to the emergence of the 1st position graduand from Kano.

On the OGP, Ganduje elaborated that, “To further consolidate our commitments to transparency and accountability in government business, the Kano State government has signed the Open Government Partnership (OGP) principles with the State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission serving as the implementing agency, in collaboration with the Office of the State Head of Service.”

Part of the main objectives of the OGP Partnership is to strengthen the crusade against corruption, to make it people-oriented, which further entails working with citizens, civil society organisations, development partners and non-governmental organisations with the intention of entrenching the noble objective.

OGP Initiative essentially entails four thematic areas of fiscal responsibility, anti-corruption, access to information and citizen engagement.

Governor Ganduje advises the trainees that, “It is therefore incumbent on the graduating students to take up the challenge and reciprocate the confidence repose in you by the government, as well as strive to sustain the effort of this crusade.”

Concluding that, “You must justify the investment made to put you through the rigours of this course by ensuring government and its citizens get value for money through efficiency, hard work and dedication to duty. While being mindful of the task at hand is for the overall good of our country”

On his part, the Acting Chairman of ICPC Dr. Musa Usman Abubakar, after thanking all the participating agencies and the Nassarawa state government, he specifically commended Ganduje.

“I wish to thank the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his relentless effort at entrenching ethical values of accountability and transparency by sponsoring officers of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission. It is our hope that more participants will be sponsored for the next programme programme.”