ICPC boss charges new permanent secretaries on prioritising public interest

Newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service have been challenged to steadfastly subordinate personal and sectional interests to the greater public good in the execution of their official responsibilities.

The charge was given by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, in a firm admonition to the Federal Civil Service’s newest accounting officers.

Musa Aliyu delivered the clarion call during an induction training programme for the four newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, held recently at the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Conference Hall within the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja.

He underscored that such unwavering commitment is indispensable for fostering transparency, accountability and good governance across the public service.

Presenting a paper entitled, “Avoiding Corruption Pitfalls: Adherence to Anti-Corruption Principles”, the ICPC Chairman characterised corruption as a pervasive global malaise by no means confined to Nigeria. He identified greed, eroded integrity, weak accountability frameworks and ineffective institutional oversight as the principal drivers of corrupt practices worldwide.

He proceeded to outline the mandates of Nigeria’s three frontline anti-corruption agencies, providing clarity on their distinct yet complementary roles. He explained that the Code of Conduct Bureau is statutorily responsible for promoting public morality and enforcing asset declaration compliance among public officers.

The ICPC, he noted, is vested with the mandate to prevent, investigate and prosecute systemic corruption within the public sector, alongside its educational function. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) focuses on investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes across all sectors of the national economy.

Drawing on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), Musa Aliyu highlighted that Section 15(5) stipulates unequivocally that States shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

He emphasised that the mandatory language of “shall” imposes a binding obligation rather than a discretionary option, thereby underscoring the gravity of the international anti-corruption framework.

He further observed that the ICPC Act 2000 stands out for its meticulous, section-by-section articulation of provisions, providing a comprehensive legal framework for Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign.

Turning his attention to the strategic role occupied by Permanent Secretaries, Dr Aliyu described the Federal Civil Service as the engine room of government.

He explained that while ministers formulate policies and set strategic priorities, it falls to Permanent Secretaries to translate these visions into measurable and tangible outcomes for the citizenry.

The ICPC Chairman reminded the participants that, as accounting officers, financial controllers and trustees of their respective ministries, they are duty-bound to exercise the highest standards of diligence, probity and integrity in managing public resources.

Corruption, he stressed, extends far beyond the narrow confines of bribery; it encompasses abuse of office, conflicts of interest, contract inflation, ghost-worker schemes, nepotism and other unethical practices that erode public trust.

Musa Aliyu urged the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to assert firm control over their ministries by strengthening internal control mechanisms, protecting whistleblowers from reprisal and ensuring rigorous compliance with due process at every stage.

“Always place the public interest above personal or sectional interest,” he counselled, a refrain that resonated throughout the hall.

In her remarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Dr Danjuma Usman Kalba, commended the ICPC Chairman for his unwavering dedication to the anti-corruption campaign.

She also lauded the Commission’s proactive measures designed to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) adhere rigorously to due process in discharging government responsibilities.

Such initiatives, she affirmed, are critical to reinforcing accountability and bolstering public confidence in governance institutions.

The induction programme featured four newly appointed Permanent Secretaries who participated in the intensive training session.

They are: Mrs Bekearedo Augustina Waren – Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF); Dr Kamil Ayinde Shoretire – Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; Mrs Nkiruka Bella Jones-Nebo – Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF); and Mr Sani Yargaya Aminu – Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SSO-OSGF).

The induction programme forms an integral component of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation’s ongoing efforts to equip newly appointed Permanent Secretaries with the requisite knowledge, ethical grounding and leadership acumen necessary for effective stewardship of public institutions.

Ultimately, the initiative seeks to deepen the culture of transparency, accountability and exemplary service delivery across the Federal Civil Service in service to the Nigerian people, according to a statement signed by J. Okor Odey, Head, Media and Public Communications, ICPC.