ICPC, State Information Chiefs Forge New Alliance to Combat Grassroots Corruption
In a significant move to tackle corruption at its roots, Nigeria’s anti-corruption body and the information commissioners from all 36 states have agreed that citizens must be central to the fight against graft through strategic communication and trust-building.
The resolution was the key outcome of a high-level roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, themed “Partnership for Strengthening Transparency and Accountability at the State and Local Government Levels through Strategic Communication.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the State Commissioners of Information acknowledged that government institutions cannot win the anti-corruption fight alone. They pledged a renewed partnership to deepen transparency and accountability, particularly at the state and local government levels where corruption most directly impacts grassroots development.
In his opening remarks, the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, commended the initiative, underscoring the critical role of communication in the anti-corruption effort.
The Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, emphasized the pivotal role of the information commissioners in shaping public opinion. “Your role in mobilizing citizens to reject corruption is indispensable,” he stated in his welcome address.
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The event culminated in a joint communique signed by ICPC Chairman Aliyu and Borno State Commissioner for Information, Prof. Usman Tar. The document outlines a multi-point strategy to institutionalize the fight against corruption.
Key resolutions from the communique include:
· Sustained Collaboration: Improving synergy to deliver anti-corruption messages to states and local governments through state-owned media channels.
· Public Trust Building: Implementing deliberate communication strategies to build public trust and drive collective action against corruption.
· Citizen Mobilization: Sensitizing citizens to demand accountability, report corrupt practices via ICPC channels, and participate actively in governance.
· Localized Content: Translating ICPC’s educational materials into local languages and making public media platforms available for anti-corruption programming.
· Capacity Building: Training state and local government officials on strategic communication and transparency tools.
· Media & Civil Society Partnership: Partnering with media and CSOs to amplify efforts and provide independent assessments.
· Direct Communication Line: Establishing dedicated platforms, including WhatsApp groups, for constant engagement between the ICPC and state information commissioners.
The roundtable concluded that a successful anti-corruption drive requires not just strong institutions, but also the active participation of a trusting citizenry, facilitated by clear and consistent communication.
Dignitaries in attendance included: Distinguished Senator Emmanuel Udende, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption; Hon. Kayode Moshood Akiola, Chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption; and Dr. Mohammed Bulama, Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
Signed: Demola Bakare,fsi Director,Public Enlightenment and Education, ICPC
