Supreme Court, Hajj Commission, UI Among ‘High Corruption Risk’ MDAs – ICPC
As JAMB, NRC, NBET score high
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has flagged 15 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as “high corruption risk” in its latest Integrity and Compliance report.
The report, released on Thursday, evaluated 330 MDAs, with 308 successfully assessed. Fifteen MDAs were categorized as non-responsive, while seven were exempted due to specific government policies.
The Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) ranked the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as the top-performing agency, scoring 89.75. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) followed closely with 89.33, while the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET) ranked third with 88.73.
In contrast, prominent institutions such as the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the Nigeria Press Council (NPC), the University of Ibadan (UI), and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) were among those scoring zero points, placing them in the “high corruption risk” category.
Assessment Criteria
The scorecard evaluated MDAs based on:
- Management Culture and Structure
- Financial Management Systems
- Administrative Systems
ICPC’s Objectives and Key Findings
ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare explained that the EICS is a preventive tool aimed at fostering ethical compliance and enhancing anti-corruption measures within MDAs.
“This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, while 15 MDAs were non-responsive and categorized as high corruption risk,” Bakare said.
Findings revealed:
- No MDA achieved full compliance with the assessed standards.
- 29.55% of MDAs attained substantial compliance.
- 51.62% achieved partial compliance.
- 15.91% showed poor compliance.
- 2.92% were entirely non-compliant.
Project Tracking and Recoveries
The ICPC also presented its 2023-2024 Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Report, monitoring projects in education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors.
Key findings included:
- Shoddy, partial, or non-execution of projects.
- Abandonment of projects due to lack of coordination between outgoing and incoming legislators.
- Misuse of project vehicles and conversion of government-funded assets for personal use.
- Contract over-invoicing and underperformance.
Recoveries and Savings
The ICPC reported recovering:
- ₦346 million in cash.
- ₦400 million in assets.
- Saved the government ₦30 billion through tracking initiatives.
Conclusion
The findings emphasize persistent gaps in ethical compliance and project execution within Nigeria’s public sector. They underscore the need for stricter oversight, accountability, and the promotion of ethical practices across MDAs to address corruption risks effectively.
