The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offence Commission, Akwa Ibom State Chapter,has promised to collaborate with a civil society, Social Action Anti-corruption Network, SAACONET in the stateto move in every nook and crannies of the state in the fight against corruption.
The State Comissioner, ICPC, Shola Shodipe gave the assurance on Thursday when members of SAACONET paid him a courtesy visit in his office located at Ewet Housing Estate,Uyo, the state capital.
Shodipe described corruption as enormous, and requires combined efforts of civil societies, individuals etc to fight the menace which had stripped communities of development.
The state ICPC boss hinted that the commission was restrategizing on best approach to tackle corruption in the state noting that constituency project tracking it carried out in some local governments of the state yielded fruits as a lot of hospital equipments such as dialysis machines, were recovered from private homes and sent back to appropriate hospitals.
“fight against corruption is so enormous that we cannot fight it alone, hence we need information from CSOs, NGOs since we cannot be everywhere. They will first help us propagate the message of anti-corruption to places, also they will avail us with information that will assist us investigate person or group of persons suspected of corrupt practices.” Shodipe said.
Earlier in her remarks, the state cordinator of SAACONET, Ann Udonte, said the urge to partner with the antigraft agency was as a result of unity of purpose which is, to stamp out corruption in the society.
She explained that the group has earlier embarked on project tracking in about thirteen local governments in the state and discovered some abandoned projects and other sharp practices in the execution of some other, but lacked the constitutional and legal backings to follow up and bring justice to the communities.
Udonte further explained that with the collaboration of ICPC, the later will continue from where their(SAACONET) power stops since the antigraft agency is backed by law to investigate corruption.
Her words,”We are here to seek collaboration with the ICPC, because we as Civil Society Organisation cannot fight corruption on our own, we need the assistance of ICPC to actually give communities the development they deserve.
“There are painful issues we sighted when we went out for project tracking in some communities in Akwa Ibom state, we discovered some abandoned projects and other aspects of corruption that affect citizens’develooment.
“So we will like to bring the information and experiences in those communities to ICPC to carry out further investigations.”
The state coordinator however said the organisation founded by McAuthur in year 2017 was passionate not only in anti-corruption movement but in sectors such as Agriculture, health and education.
High point of the advocacy visit was the presentation of ICPC materials to the coordinator of SAACONET by the ICPC boss.
