Nation
ICPC Sheds Light On Recovered Funds
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) does not spend recovered funds, but pays them into Federal Government’s coffers, its Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, has said.
Owasanoye told the Senate Committee on Finance investigating activities of revenue generating agencies of the Federal Government that ICPC had no retention powers over funds or assets recovered from corrupt people.
ICPC spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, said in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday that Owasanoye told the committee that ICPC had a dedicated account for the recovery of proceeds of crime.
“All recovered funds are paid into the dedicated account called “ICPC Recovery Account’’ for onward payment into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government once there were no encumbrances.
“ICPC is not contemplated as a revenue generating agency. In the course of our work, we do recover funds. However, ICPC does not spend recovered assets. We do not use part of it for our work,’’ he stressed.
He also told the committee that apart from recovering proceeds of crime, ICPC had also helped to boost tax revenue by bringing defaulters to book.
He said ICPC had been able to bring defaulters into the tax net while investigating tax components of some transactions and that recovered funds were paid to the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
Committee Chairman, Sen. Solomon Adeola, had earlier expressed concern that the country’s budget was becoming too dependent on loans, partly due to non-compliance to financial regulations by revenue generating agencies of government.
He said the investigative hearing aimed to ensure that all revenue generating agencies complied with the Fiscal Responsibility Act which stipulated that 80 per cent of operational surplus be paid into the CRF.
“Revenue generating agencies of government have taken solace and pleasure in diverting government’s money; taking care of frivolous expenditure and making provisions for them in audited accounts that are fictitious in nature.
“The 2021 budget has a deficit of N6 trillion; government cannot continue this way,’’ Solomon said.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
