The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to continually maintain high ethical standards in all its regulatory activities in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made the remark at the inauguration of NCC’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
ACTU is the initiative of the ICPC, approved by the Federal Government as an in-house mechanism for corruption prevention within MDAs, in line with global best practices of building strong institutions and institutionalizing good governance in the fight against corruption.
Professor Danbatta who was represented by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, Ms Josephine Amuwa, said that the ICPC has recently attested to the Commission’s high ethical standards and professionalism as evident in the 2020 ICPC Ethics and Compliance Scorecard (IECS) report, which placed NCC ahead of other agencies in ratings.
The EVC said the ICPC’s verdict also lends credence to the 2017 report of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR)-piloted Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) deployed in MDAs, where the NCC came off with a Platinum Level (Exceptional) award, a level 5 organization, the highest rating possible under the BPSR Assessment.
While noting that the NCC will continue to identify corruption-prone processes, practices and procedures within the system with a view to institutionalize compliant and corruption-free processes.
Professor Danbatta said the Commission’s efforts are focused on prevention through defined standard operating procedures and adherence to public service rules, circulars, guidelines, among others.
Officially inaugurating the ACTU, the Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, said the ACTU is expected to effectively carry out its assigned functions including conducting systems study and review of processes and procedures of the NCC with a view to making appropriate recommendations to block corruption loopholes.
According to him, the Unit is also required to conduct continuous sensitization of staff on and against the ills of corruption, implement code of ethics, conduct corruption risk assessment and preliminary investigations into complaints received amongst others.
