Buhari directs ICPC to go after public institutions yet to comply with IPPIS

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Independent Corrupt
and related Practice Commission, ICPC, to beam its searchlight on
public institutions that are yet to comply with the Integrated
Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, in the
country.

Mr Buhari gave the directive while speaking at the National
summit on ‘‘Diminishing Corruption in the Public Service’’
organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related
Offences Commission, ICPC, in collaboration with the Office of the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The President noted that the new directive on IPPIS was intended
to halt the padding of personnel budgets and the diversion or
misappropriation of capital budgets.

‘‘I am aware that the Commission recently conducted System
Studies and Review of many MDAs to evaluate systems and processes
relating to transparency and accountability in personnel and
capital spending through which you successfully blocked over N9
billion from being diverted from 2019 personnel budget.

‘‘That was a proactive prevention measure. I have directed that
all agencies of government must get on the IPPIS in order to
eliminate the padding of personnel budgets.

‘‘I urge ICPC to beam its searchlight on all agencies yet to get
on the IPPIS and our e-government platform in order to fully halt
the padding of personnel budgets and the diversion or
misappropriation of capital budgets,’’ he said.

The President also used the occasion, which marked the launch of
the Constituency Projects Transparency Group, CPTG, Report Phase
One, to reiterate his appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians to join
in the fight against corruption.

‘‘The war against corruption cannot be won without prevention,
enforcement, public education and enlightenment.

‘‘I encourage the ICPC and other law enforcement agencies to
intensify their efforts in public education, enlightenment and
engagement with citizens.

‘‘I also urge our development partners, civil society
organizations, and the media to continue to support our efforts to
strengthen ethical values and integrity in Nigeria,’’ he said.

On the activities of ICPC, President Buhari commended the new
Board of the anti-graft agency for major enforcement and preventive
initiatives including the System Study Review, tracking of Zonal
Intervention Projects, otherwise called Constituency Projects, and
collaboration with the National Social Investment Office.

The President said: ‘‘It is on record that in the past ten years
One trillion naira (N1trillion) has been appropriated for
constituency projects yet the impact of such huge spending on the
lives and welfare of ordinary Nigerians can hardly be seen.

‘‘The first phase report of tracking these projects by ICPC
confirms our worst fears that people at the grassroots have not
benefited in terms commensurate with the huge sums appropriated for
constituency projects since inception.

‘‘I am, therefore, delighted that through the effort of ICPC
some contractors are returning to site to execute projects hitherto
abandoned and that project sponsors are being held to account.

‘‘The ICPC has my full support and the support of this
government to hold fully to account contractors, complicit public
servants and project sponsors who divert funds meant for
constituencies or other people oriented welfare projects of our
government or who by other means reduce the quality and value of
such projects meant for our people.’’

On asset recovery, the President reaffirmed that his
administration will continue to support anti-corruption agencies to
recover all ill-gotten wealth and prosecute offenders, adding that
all fully recovered physical assets will be sold and the proceeds
remitted to the treasury.

‘‘Enforcement activities by anti-corruption agencies continue to
reveal that some public officers possess properties and assets way
beyond their legitimate sources of income.

‘‘Asset recovery cases in court also reveal that some of these
criminally minded public officials are quick to disown these
properties during investigation and in court.

‘‘Recovered assets will continue to be deployed in the provision
of needed infrastructure and social welfare programs.

‘‘The National Social Investment Program is already utilizing
recovered funds to touch the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.

‘‘I, therefore, commend the partnership between the ICPC and the
National Social Investment Office to ensure that beneficiaries of
government social intervention programs are not short-changed along
the line by unpatriotic officials,’’ he said.

President Buhari, who described corruption as the cause of many
major problems in our country, said ‘‘it is a catalyst for poverty,
insecurity, weak educational system, poor health facilities and
services and many other ills of our society.

‘‘This government is working hard to overcome such ills.
Corruption generally and public sector corruption in particular,
inhibits the ability of government to deliver infrastructure and
basic services to the people.

‘‘That is why I have reiterated on many occasions that
corruption is an existential threat to Nigeria.

‘‘Corruption is furthermore, a major threat to the attainment of
the Sustainable Development Goals and the socio-economic
transformation we are all working hard to bring about in
Nigeria.’’

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