The Gombe State Government is holding a two-day retreat for political appointees and career civil servants on the role of system integrity and value governance in curbing corruption in Nigeria.
The retreat aimed at sharing insights, knowledge and experience on best practices on fighting corruption and strengthening system integrity.
Participants are expected after the retreat to apply their new knowledge and insights in their various places of work, the government would be expected to provide the enabling environment to combat corruption and reward integrity and honesty in governance.
Governor Muhammadu Yahaya said the retreat has as its theme, “The Art And Practice Of System Integrity And Value Governance As A Panacea To Curbing Corruption”.
He demonstrated his administration’s commitment to partner with relevant anti-corruption agencies to strengthen the fight against corruption and promote good governance.
The Governor commended the management and leadership of the Anti Corruption Academy of Nigeria, ACAN, for organising the workshop, hoping that would equip political office holders and civil servants with the right knowledge and experience to combat corruption and improve the existing good governance mechanism.
“As Nigeria is passing through difficult economic situation, the need for prudent and transparent management of our resources is therefore crucial to national economic development. Therefore, this retreat is coming at the right time,” Governor Yahaya said.
He stated that the Gombe State Government was within the last two year able to plug leakages to eliminating redundancies, embarked on public service reforms and fiscal discipline and chart a new course for the State, built on the foundation of prudence, efficiency and transparency.
Governor Yahaya called on all stakeholders, especially religious and traditional institutions, civil servants, civil society groups as well as the general public to support the effort in fighting corruption and ensuring accountability in governance.
He gave the assurances that his administration would continue to partner with relevant stakeholders to support efforts towards eradicating corruption and enhancing value in governance.
The Gombe State Government commended the efforts of the management and leadership of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, the Anti Corruption Academy of Nigeria, ACAN, the Lead Consultant and all our Resources Persons to Gombe State.
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related offences Commission, ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasowe, says corruption thrives where there is no transparency and physical discipline.
Professor Owasowe, who was represented by the Commissioner in charge of Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe States in the Commission, observed that promoting fiscal discipline in public service would go a long way in making the job of the commission much easy.
He said; “We in ICPC believe that the fight against corruption is about promoting good governance accountability and it entails social inclusion, transparency and accountability in the provision of basic amenities for the populace especially the often neglected rural areas.”
Similarly, the Director of Education in the ICPC, Mr. Baba Asiru, said a World Bank report revealed that majority of Corrupt practices were perpetrated in public service and therefore appealed to participants not to treat lessons to be learnt at the retreat with disdain.
“If after the three days retreat, we invite you to Abuja as a suspect, then the hunter has become the hunted. We have our attendance register we will go to Abuja with our attendance register if any of you decides to keep whatever he learns here and refuse to take home the take-aways, then you will become our visitor,” Mr. Asiru said.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
