ICPC, Information Commissioners Partner On Anti-Corruption Strategy

State Commissioners of Information across the federation have agreed to partner with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on how to sustain the fight against corruption at State and local government levels using the State media.

This is as they have also agreed to implement deliberate, planned, and sustained communication strategies to build trust, legitimacy, and collective action against corruption in the country.

These were contained in a communique issued at the end of a one-day ICPC Roundtable Engagement with State Commissioners of Information on Agenda Setting for Strategic Integration of Information Commissioners in the Fight Against Corruption, attended by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo.

With the theme “Partnership  For Strengthening Transparency and Accountability at the State and Local Government Levels Through Strategic Communication,” the roundtable which sought to facilitate agenda setting for a collaborative approach that leverages the expertise of Information Commissioners in

promoting transparency and accountability at the state and local government

levels took place at the Rockview Hotel Royale in Abuja.

The Information Commissioners resolved to sustain a lasting collaboration and improve synergy with the ICPC to carry out anti-corruption messages to States and Local Governments Councils using the State media apparatus.

The communique highlighted the complexities of fighting corruption, emphasizing that it is not just about law enforcement but also about perceptions, trust, and credibility.

Noting that corruption remains a defining challenge for Nigeria, the forum identified that the battleground for fighting corruption is more at the State and local government levels, being the closest tiers of government to the people, and where the leakages are more devastating.

The communique jointly signed by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, and Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, reads in parts: “Information alone may raise awareness, but only strategic communication – deliberate, consistent, and engaging – truly changes behaviour.”

While acknowledging that transparency builds trust between the government and people, the communique said the fight against corruption requires citizens’ participation and should not be left to government institutions alone.

The roundtable which also had the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi in attendance, emphasized the role of strategic communication in building trust, legitimacy, and collective action against corruption, while advocating the need for combined approaches and partnerships between government agencies, civil society, media, and citizens in the fight against corrupt practices.

The communique called on the Commissioners of Information to partner the ICPC in grassroots public engagement to institutionalizing anti-corruption compliance systems in states and local government councils.

The forum pledged its commitment towards sensitizing and mobilizing citizens to demand accountability, participate in decision-making processes, and report corrupt practices.

It also resolved to build capacity and provide training and capacity-building programmes for officials in the states and local government councils on strategic communication, transparency tools, and anti-corruption strategies.

The ICPC and Information Commissioners  agreed to partner with the media and civil society as allies in amplifying government efforts and providing independent assessments while offering public media platforms for airing anti-corruption TV programmes and radio appearances

Highlights of the event include the presentation of goodwill messages by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare; Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Emmanuel Udende; Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption,  Prince Kayode Moshood Akiola, and Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, among others.

Keynote address was delivered by Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu of the Department of Media Studies, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, while the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu delivered the welcome address.