FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (middle) flanked by Officers and Men of the FCT Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service during the Command’s SERVICOM/ACTU Sensitization and Enlightenment workshop on Thursday, 9th September, 2021
1. FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has lauded staff of the Administration for the high performance of the FCT Administration in the Integrity Compliance Scorecard of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
2. Malam Bello who was speaking at a sensitization workshop organized by the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the FCTA, said that the feat was achieved through the hard work of all staff of the Administration.
3. He said: “I’m proud to say that, as reflected in the comments of the representative of the ICPC, with respect to the ICPC and integrity compliance scorecard and how the FCT was rated, is all reflective of the collective efforts done by all of you”.
4. The Minister however urged staff to strive to remain at the top saying that, “the greatest difficulty is to be at the top because you have nowhere to go but down. The feeling of moving from a lower position on a scorecard or on a chart is very nice, very beautiful. But the opposite is very traumatic. Once you are rated high and then you fall behind, the psychological impact can be best imagined”.
5. Malam Bello therefore called on staff to live by the established standard and only aim to surpass it, urging them not to be a part of a conspiracy of silence as this will only encourage the entrenchment of corruption.
6. Using the famous quote of President Muhammad Buhari on corruption, ‘If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us’, the Minister pointed out that corruption has many facets, adding that “The reality is even if you are not corrupt, you should not be an observer because if you do not fight corruption, then it’s going to negatively affect you”
7. “ Take a typical example: if you allow corruption in the medical system to happen and you say well it doesn’t affect me, you don’t know tomorrow you will be the victim that needs attention in the outpatient department or in the emergency room and you will be surprised” the Minister added.
8. Earlier the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola said that the workshop was the beginning of a series of conversations and engagements on anti-corruption activities, adding that the calibre of personalities present at the event was a proof of willingness and commitment of the various stakeholders to lend support to the FCT Administration’s fight against corruption
9. The Permanent also commended the ICPC for its support for activities by the FCTA to stamp corruption out of the system while stressing that the fight against corruption was not a one person’s fight.
10. In his remarks, the representative of ICPC Chairman, Barrister Abia Udofia commended the FCT for coming first in the Ethics, Integrity and Compliance Scorecard that was administered last year, attributing the success to active part ACTU is playing in driving the way of anti-corruption for Administration.
11. In a similar development, earlier in the day, the FCT Minister was a guest at the grand finale of the 2021 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Servicom/ACTU nationwide sensitization and enlightenment programme, where he commended the Service for successfully conducting the exercise designed to entrench the principles of transparency and effective service delivery in the NIS.
12. Malam Bello also used the occasion to stress that the FCT Administration has put measures in place to strengthen the performance of the SERVICOM and ACTU units in the SDAs with emphasis that both units were working in synergy to attain the desired results.
ANTHONY OGUNLEYE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY9/9/2021
FCTA/OCPS/PR/261
