L-R: The Head Legal Department of ICPC in Rivers State, Dr. Agada Akogwu; the ICPC Zonal Commissioner for Rivers and Bayelsa states, Mrs. Ekere Usiere and the NDDC Director II, Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Patrick Obayelu, during the Workforce Sensitisation Exercise at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) staff members were recently advised to guard against falling foul of anti-graft laws by keeping abreast of the relevant statutes guiding the conduct of public servants. The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) handed this advice during a Workforce Sensitisation Exercise organised by the NDDC at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Mrs. Ekere Usiere, ICPC Zonal commissioner for Rivers and Bayelsa States, while speaking at the event, commended the NDDC and its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, (ACTU), for sponsoring the sensitisation exercise under the theme: “Understanding the Offences and Penalties Under the ICPC Act 2000″.
Usiere acknowledged the critical role played by the NDDC in intervening to solve the socio-economic challenges of the Niger Delta region, noting that it was necessary to undertake periodic sensitisation of staff as an antidote to corrupt practices.
In his remarks, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC’s managing-director, stressed the need to always take measures to tackle corrupt practices and entrench transparency in public service. He observed that the sensitisation exercise was part of the efforts to enhance the service delivery of the Commission.
Represented by the Director II, Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Patrick Obayelu, the NDDC arrow Head, noted that the new Board and Management of the Commission would spare no effort to ensure that ethics and values were maintained in the interventionist agency.
He charged the staff to imbibe honesty and transparency in the discharge of their duties to the Commission and the people of the Niger Delta region.
In a keynote presentation, the Head Legal Department of ICPC in Rivers State, Dr. Agada Akogwu, urged the NDDC to strengthen its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit to effectively serve as the conscience of the Commission.
He said that the unit should set up a system that would continuously study and review corruption-prone processes and procedures and develop a code of ethics or conduct, including corruption prevention guidelines for staff.
Said Akogwu: “Every public servant should take the ICPC Act as a bible and internalise all its tenets. That is why NDDC deserves commendation for organising a sensitisation programme for its staff”.
