President Muhammad Buhari
Buhari
President Muhammad Buhari
Buhari Lauds Anti-Corruption Academy of
Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Federal Government
was committed to making the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria
(ACAN), a training arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the best anti-corruption
training school in Africa.
Buhari who spoke at the opening ceremony of the training
workshop on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) for heads of
anti-corruption agencies in Africa noted that the support for ACAN
had become necessary in order to help Nigeria and other African
countries deal with the massive problems of corruption on the
continent.
He observed that the fight against corruption was a battle for
the soul of different countries in Africa that must be won, adding
that CRA being championed by ICPC was a good tool for ensuring the
success of the battle.
He promised that, “ACAN has earned our support as it moves to
becoming a focal centre for anti-corruption studies in Africa.”
The President called on the participants from over 30 Africa
Union (AU) member countries to domesticate the CRA template,
stressing that the training can only be meaningful if the Assessors
are put to work back in their countries.
Earlier, the Acting Chairman of ICPC, Dr. Musa Usman Abubakar,
in his welcome address noted that the introduction of CRA by ICPC
had helped government to block avenues for corruption in its
financial systems.
Dr. Abubakar listed some of the areas where the Commission had
conducted CRA to include the ports sector, Nigerian international
airports and selected Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA)
which had led to a significant reduction of opportunities for
corruption in Nigeria.
Stressing the need for CRA training, he said, “When loopholes
and leakages in the systems are plugged, people will be denied
access to public funds and as such will not have the opportunity to
misappropriate it.
‘This is against pursing individuals after the deed is done, an
action that drains a lot of resources amidst challenges that create
uncertainty of outcomes. To this end, ICPC stands on the principle
that an ounce of prevention is worth more than a tonne of
remedy.”
There are about 42 participants drawn from AU countries like
Mauritius, Mali, Kenya, Lesotho, Guinea Bissau, South Africa,
Morocco, Togo, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Rwanda.
Others are Ghana, Senegal, Benin Republic, Zambia, Niger,
Burkina Faso, Algeria, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote
d’Ivoire and Tanzania.
Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission