ICPC Recovers N117bn In 8 Months – Owasanoye
BY EDMOND ODOK – Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, says the anti-graft agency recovered over N117 billion between January and August this year as part of the Federal Government’s fight against corruption in the country.
Owasanoye, who made this disclosure while defending the Commission’s 2023 Budget proposal in Abuja before the House of Representatives Committees on anti-corruption and appropriation in Abuja, said the recoveries’ breakdown include N1.413 billion and $225,965 in ICPC/TSA recovery account and N1.264 billion cash through tax intervention
A statement by the ICPC’s spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, said on Thursday the Chairman also explained that other recoveries were plots of land, completed buildings, vehicles, electronics, and pieces of jewelry all valued at N679.13 million, N2.603 billion, N81.1 million, N1.55 million, and N195,500.
On the 2022 budget performance, the ICPC boss said the Commission restrained N49.9 billion through System Study and Review intervention; N6.435 billion cash through budget tracking; N53.91 billion through ICPC advisory, and N614.2 million in other accounts.
He said besides the recoveries, the Commission also completed 672 investigations and 565 non-petition-led investigations during the 2022 budget cycle, adding that other laudable strides made include “Securing of 15 convictions; 538 projects tracked under Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI); deployment of Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard on 260 MDAs; Review of Open Treasury Portal in 30 MDAs were also accomplished.
“System Study and Review of 10 Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs); inauguration of 26 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs); 14 Corruption Monitoring activities undertaken; and public enlightenment and education of Nigerians on and against corruption through various platforms,” were further performed.
In his remarks at the budget defence, the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption Chairman, Mr Nicholas Garba Shehu, applauded the ICPC and its board members for providing dynamic and visionary leadership in the anti-corruption war.
Noting that their visionary leadership style has completely turned around the Commission’s fortunes by making it a vibrant and viable anti-graft agency, the lawmaker urged them not to drop the ball but to continue to soar higher.
This is as he charged the Federal Government to release the remainder of the Commission’s 2022 budget, to enable it to accomplish its target.
Also urging the Commission to urgently develop a whistleblowing mobile app to aid its operations and mandate delivery, the Committee Chairman said Nigerians can readily take advantage of such innovation to timely report acts of corruption from anywhere and at any point in time.
