By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has launched a two-day anti-corruption and capacity-building workshop for key officials of the 31 local government councils in Akwa Ibom State. The training, which kicked off in Abuja, is part of a broader initiative to curb corruption and promote efficient resource management at the grassroots level.
The workshop is being hosted by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training arm of the ICPC, in partnership with the Foundation for Transparency and Accountability (FTA), and supported by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, Chairman of the ICPC, who was represented at the event by Mr. Olusegun Adigun fsi, Director of the Commission’s Systems Study and Review Department, underscored the significance of the training in the wake of Nigeria’s implementation of full financial autonomy for local governments.
He noted that the Commission had introduced the Accountability and Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Government (ACPP-LG) to proactively address corruption risks and institutional challenges that often entrap local government officers.
“In order to avoid both internal and external pitfalls… this gathering will avail you ample opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on how to handle issues, particularly institutionalized internal practices that are traps,” Mr. Adigun said on behalf of the Chairman.
The ACPP-LG, according to Dr. Aliyu, is designed to ensure transparency in local government decision-making, while also improving citizen engagement and service delivery through a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.
He further warned that ICPC remains committed to its enforcement mandate, emphasizing that any local government official found guilty of corrupt practices will face prosecution.
In his goodwill message, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo, Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), commended ICPC for tailoring the training to address the unique governance needs of the local councils.
“We do not trivialize this training at all… All of us are here so we can be trained and retrained on how we can help tackle corruption at the grassroots level,” Dr. Udo stated.
Attendees at the workshop include council chairpersons, legislative council leaders, heads of service, directors of finance, and other senior local government personnel across Akwa Ibom’s 31 LGAs.
The initiative marks another strategic effort by the ICPC to build institutional resilience and accountability in Nigeria’s third-tier governance structure.
— Newspot Nigeria
FULL STATEMENT
INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC)
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday 24th July, 2025
ICPC Trains Akwa Ibom State LG Officials on Corruption Prevention
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced a two-day capacity-building workshop for Akwa Ibom State Local Government Officials on corruption prevention and optimal resource management in local government administration.
This was disclosed recently in Abuja by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, at the Workshop organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), a training and research arm of the Commission, in collaboration with the Foundation for Transparency and Accountability (FTA), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and with support from the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The Chairman, who was represented by the Director, Systems Study and Review Department of the Commission, Mr. Olusegun Adigun fsi, stated that the Commission had designed the workshop in order to help principal officers of the Akwa Ibom State local government councils identify corruption risks in their domains so as to develop appropriate prevention measures.
“In order to avoid both internal and external pitfalls as principal officers of the Akwa Ibom State Local Government Areas, a gathering of this nature will avail you ample opportunity to share ideas, experiences and strategies on how to handle issues, particularly institutionalized internal practices that are traps, set to make you complicit in future corrupt practices,” he said.
According to Dr. Aliyu, the Commission has, in response to the full financial autonomy of the third-tier of government in Nigeria, set up the Accountability and Corruption Prevention Programme for Local Government (ACPP-LG), a corruption prevention mechanism for proactive disclosure of relevant information and compliance to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations and decision-making processes of the local governments.
He further revealed that the ACPP-LG initiative would help to monitor and evaluate the performance of local governments, ensuring continuous improvement and responsiveness to citizens’ needs.
According to him, “ACPP-LG has a robust citizen engagement component, which will enhance the effective communication of the local government activities to the public, fostering trust and understanding as well as active and continuous public participation in governance and decision-making.”
Dr. Aliyu warned the participants that the Commission will not shy away from its enforcement mandate that allows it to prosecute local government officials who are found guilty of engaging in corrupt practices.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo, thanked the ICPC for organizing the workshop specifically for all local government principal officers from the State. He assured the Commission that they were ready to put into practice all that they were going to learn.
According to Dr. Udo, “We do not trivialize this training at all. This is due to the multi-faceted impact of corruption bedeviling our country. This is the reason why all of us are here, so we can be trained and retrained on how we can help tackle corruption at the grassroots level. We are therefore ready to ensure that we practice what we would be taught here.”
The participants comprised ALGON leadership and other local government council chairmen, leaders of legislative councils, heads of service, directors of finance, and other officials from across the 31 LGCs of Akwa Ibom State.
Signed
Demola Bakare, fsi
Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/
Spokesperson for the Commission
