From SDN’s Rita Agbor in Port Harcourt:
On the 13th of October 2014, the head of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) in charge of Rivers and Bayelsa together with three other staff of the commission paid a visit to SDN Nigeria office.
The visiting team were briefed about SDNs efforts at promoting good governance, facilitating peace building and conflict transformation and demanding for environmental justice and social justice. The country director went further to also highlight on the efforts of the Niger Delta Anticorruption Networks (NIDAN) in raising citizen’s awareness on corruption and how they can fight corruption.
Head of ICPC, Mr Ndu Cyprian Okpanbea, thanked SDN’s Inemo Samiama on the role he played in the symposium organized in commemoration of the last world anticorruption day on the 9th of December 2013. In his words “your presence and contribution at the event and subsequent interviews with the press added so much value to the program and made it have the kind of impact we had anticipated”.
He also called on SDN to consider another partnership this year with the ICPC to enable both bodies raise awareness in citizens on the need to stand up against corruption and was invited to join with the National Anticorruption Coalition of the ICPC.
He did not end his presentation without a mention of some challenges the ICPC has faced with in attempts to engage with the Rivers and Bayelsa states ministry of education to get both ministries involved in applying an ICPC prescribed curriculum in primary and secondary schools within the states.
In his description, he explained many failed attempts to get the commissioners and other key staff of both states ministries to use the pamphlets in educating young people and building the right mindset from the onset in the fight against corruption and the negative response of many government agencies and departments to the ICPC.
On a warm note the meeting came to an end with both teams promising to work towards achieving all commitments made in respect to working more closely.
