ICPC Cautions Varsities, Polytechnics Against Corruption in TETFund Projects
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged heads of tertiary institutions across Nigeria to strengthen internal controls, address corruption risks and ensure that interventions funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) deliver value for money.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, gave the charge on Monday while declaring open a two-day Organisational Integrity Management Capacity-Building Programme for officials of TETFund beneficiary institutions in Abuja.
The programme was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training and research arm of the ICPC, with support from TETFund.
Aliyu warned that weak procurement practices, poor project supervision, ineffective internal controls, conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement could undermine investments in the tertiary education sector.
He stressed that increased funding alone would not guarantee improved educational outcomes unless beneficiary institutions demonstrated transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources.
“Integrity must not exist merely in policy documents or institutional mission statements. It must be reflected in everyday decisions, administrative processes, and the management of public resources,” he said.
The ICPC chairman urged institutional leaders to uphold ethical standards, enforce established administrative procedures and establish appropriate channels for reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation.
He also called on the institutions to institutionalise corruption risk assessments, improve documentation and segregation of duties, introduce independent project verification and strengthen mechanisms for reporting and responding to suspected misconduct.
Aliyu further challenged participants to develop measurable integrity improvement plans, designate responsible officers, establish implementation timelines and set clear performance indicators to monitor progress.
According to him, the effectiveness of the capacity-building programme should be determined by the practical reforms and improvements introduced in participating institutions rather than attendance or participation.
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“The success of this initiative should be measured not merely by attendance or participation, but by the improvements introduced in your respective institutions,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to preventing corruption through System Study and Review, Corruption Risk Assessment, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard and capacity-building initiatives implemented through ACAN.
Earlier, the Provost of ACAN, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said integrity management in tertiary institutions should extend beyond top-level administrators to include academic and non-academic staff as well as students.
He identified honesty, accountability and fairness as fundamental principles for building institutional trust and sustaining ethical standards in the education sector.
Ibrahim urged tertiary institutions to collaborate with the ICPC in tackling various forms of corruption and misconduct, including administrative corruption, embezzlement, examination malpractice, monetisation of academic marks, sexual harassment and the proliferation of ghost workers.
He commended TETFund for supporting the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen governance and promote ethical practices across the country’s tertiary education institutions.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, represented by the Fund’s Director of Human Resources and General Administration, Dr Kolapo Okunlola, maintained that financial interventions could only produce meaningful results when backed by accountable leadership, effective implementation and strict adherence to established standards.
He urged institutional heads to comply with procurement laws, financial regulations and TETFund guidelines while taking responsibility for project outcomes and protecting individuals who report wrongdoing.
Echono reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to transparency and accountability, urging participants to identify institutional vulnerabilities and translate lessons from the programme into practical reforms.
He emphasised that the impact of TETFund interventions should not be measured solely by the volume of funds released but also by the integrity with which the resources are managed and the tangible improvements they deliver in educational infrastructure, research and teaching and learning.
The programme is expected to strengthen institutional integrity frameworks, improve accountability mechanisms and minimise corruption risks in the management of public resources allocated to Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
By PRNigeria
