Lack of political will and undue interference in the operations of some anti-corruption agencies by state powers have been identified at the just concluded Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa as some of the factors bedeviling the anti-corruption fight in the African continent.
Speaking against this backdrop, spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, mni, has revealed that the Commission was not subjected to the control of anyone in carrying out its mandate.
Mrs. Okoduwa made this revelation on behalf of ICPC while welcoming some delegates of the Conference who paid a courtesy visit to the Commission in Abuja recently.
According to the spokesperson, the strength of ICPC’s enabling law and character of the Chairmen and board members it had, have enabled the Commission to operate without any form of interference from any quarter.
Mrs. Okoduwa also briefed the guests on ICPC’s three-pronged mandate of enforcement, prevention and public education and enlightenment.
She further explained how the Commission’s multi-faceted approach to the fight against corruption has led to the prosecution of public officers who had committed infractions; systems study and review of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to block corruption-prone processes and enlightenment of the public on and against ills of corruption.
The visitors were amazed by the innovative initiatives deployed by the Commission to achieve huge successes in its anti-corruption drive.