The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu, has urged newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to place public interest above personal or sectional considerations, stressing that ethical leadership and strong institutional controls are critical to combating corruption and strengthening governance.
Dr Aliyu made the call at an induction programme for four newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in Abuja.
Addressing participants at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the ICPC chairman described corruption as a global challenge rather than a problem unique to Nigeria.
He identified greed, weak integrity systems, poor accountability mechanisms and ineffective institutional oversight as major drivers of corruption worldwide.
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Presenting a paper titled; “Avoiding Corruption Pitfalls: Adherence to Anti-Corruption Principles,” Dr Aliyu outlined the roles of Nigeria’s key anti-corruption institutions.
He explained that the Code of Conduct Bureau promotes ethical conduct and enforces asset declaration requirements for public officials, while the ICPC focuses on preventing, investigating and prosecuting corruption in the public sector.
According to him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is responsible for tackling economic and financial crimes across the broader economy.
Referencing the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), Dr Aliyu stressed that governments have a binding obligation to eliminate corruption and abuse of power.
He also highlighted the significance of the ICPC Act 2000, describing it as a comprehensive legal framework supporting Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.
The ICPC Chairman underscored the pivotal role of Permanent Secretaries in translating government policies into measurable outcomes, describing the Federal Civil Service as the “engine room” of government.
“As accounting officers, financial controllers and trustees of your ministries, you must exercise the highest standards of diligence, probity and integrity,” he advised.
Dr Aliyu said corruption extends beyond bribery to include abuse of office, conflicts of interest, contract inflation, ghost-worker schemes, nepotism and other practices that erode public trust.
He urged the officials to strengthen oversight mechanisms within their ministries through stronger internal controls, protection for whistleblowers and strict adherence to due process.
“Always place the public interest above personal or sectional interest.” The ICPC Chairman charged.
In remarks delivered on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Dr Danjuma Usman Kalba, commended the ICPC’s efforts to promote accountability across government institutions.
He said the commission’s initiatives were helping ministries, departments and agencies comply with due process requirements and improve public confidence in governance.
The training programme brought together four newly appointed Permanent Secretaries: Mrs Bekearedo Augustina Waren of the Political and Economic Affairs Office; Dr Kamil Ayinde Shoretire of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; Mrs Nkiruka Bella Jones-Nebo of the Career Management Office; and Mr Sani Yargaya Aminu of the Special Services Office.
The induction forms part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening professionalism, ethical leadership and service delivery within Nigeria’s federal civil service.
