KEY POINTS

• ICPC blocked diversion of N5.882 billion from 323 MDAs.
• Recovering in cash, assets and forfeited funds was N29.7 billion.
• In all 851 petitions were treated, of which 72 resulted as court cases and 16 as convictions.

It has ensured the non diversion of N5.882 billion from 323 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The feat was achieved through a Systems Study and Review (SSR) exercise that encourages financial integrity in government agencies.

Also, as part of its EICS (Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard) programme, the commission established 80 Anti Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in MDAs. They aim to tighten up internal accountability and close the doors to financial abuse.

The achievements covered the first year of ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, who made the revelations at the End of Year Engagement held in Abuja. He also stressed the commission’s firm pledge to fight corruption and promote transparency in public institutions.

“The EICS methodology used by the commission to assess 323 MDAs resulted into interception of N5.882 billion diverted funds”, he said. Additionally, we have 80 ACTUs to ensure continuous anti corruption thrust is put on the MDAs.”

A total of N29.7 billion, 851 petitions, 16 convictions recorded by ICPC

Aside from blocking fraudulent transactions, the ICPC also deposited a total of N29.7 billion in cash that it recovered into its recovery accounts. Also, it recovered N10.986 billion from the remittance of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), N10 billion from COVID-19 vaccines.

There was also an order for the final forfeiture of assets worth N2.5 billion as well as $966,900.83 in foreign currency, which is now held at ICPC — CBN recovery account. The strengths of these recoveries indicate that the agency is increasingly able to recover public funds.

The Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) Phase 7 tracked 1,500 constituency and executive projects valued at N610 billion. Aliyu says the fieldwork for this phase is completed and the report from the Phase 6 fieldwork conducted last year is finalised and made public.

In regards to prosecution, the ICPC received 851 petitions, assigned 342 for investigation, 95 of which were fully investigated. Of those cases: 72 were filed in court and 16 convicted. It has also revived several longstanding cases that had stalled for more than a decade.

According to Dr. Aliyu, the commission’s aggressive fight against corruption in education institutions and public offices fits into the ICPC’s strategic anti corruption drive.