The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has collaborated with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, an organ of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, to intensify the battle against corruption in contracting and public procurement.
The agencies jointly organised a two-day sensitisation workshop on anti-graft in contracting and public procurement for the members of staff in Abuja recently.
Delivering the keynote address at the workshop, which is focused on “Anti-Corruption Requirements and Best Practices in Public Procurement,” the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, explained that the workshop would equip the participants with the best anti-corruption practices and procedures.
Wabote hinted that some of the errors committed by public servants were not deliberate but due to a lack of understanding of the procurement best practices.
He said, “The partnerships with ICPC and ACAN will ensure that ministries, departments and agencies are well equipped and up to date with the anti-corruption best practices. Public servants need these kinds of training in order for them to understand and protect themselves and their organisations from corruption and corrupt practices.”
He urged the participants to learn and implement the laid down processes to manage corrupt practices and conflicts of interest.
Providing an update on the board’s effort towards anti-corruption, Wabote mentioned that the Board had established a corruption desk in-house as suggested by ACAN, to ensure a high level of transparency and accountability across operations.
In his address, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, stated that the workshop would enlighten and highlight basic ethical principles in public services processes like procurement, accountability, and partiality.
Owasanoye, who was represented by the Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Musa Abubakar, urged participants to adhere and to appreciate the dos and don’ts of the procurement processes and show integrity in handling affairs in the public service.
