· JAMB, 9 others top 10 on ethics, integrity
By Godfrey AKON
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has listed 15 MDAs, representing 4.64 per cent of the total deployed 323 MDAs as susceptible to high risk of corruption.
This is contained in the 2024 ranking of Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, EICS, of the commission released penultimate week in Abuja.
The report did not, however, list the 15 corruption prone MDAs.
“Under the key indicators it is revealed that Management Culture and Structure overall performance have an average score of 17.16% of 30%; Financial Management Systems average score is 28.62% of the 40% and Administrative System average score is 13.14% of 30%,” the report read.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, ranked top on the list of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in the ranking with a score of 89.75 points while the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Ebute Metta, followed closely with 89.33 points and Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Abuja came third with 88.73.
The EICS is an evaluation tool that seeks to measure institutional integrity and accountability in MDA operations as well as encourage innovation, productivity and creativity in enhancing their systems and operations.
According to ICPC, the goal of EICS is to identify organisational gaps by providing statistical evidence of public systems and practices, strengths, failures, and vulnerabilities that necessitate specific actions by various MDAs and government.
The anti-graft agency said in 2024, 330 MDAs were selected for the deployment of EICS and the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, ACTU, Effectiveness Index, AEI, by teams from the ICPC, both in the FCT and the states across MDAs nationwide.
While on the compliance level no MDA scored full compliance, 91 MDAs, representing 29.55 per cent scored substantial compliance, 159 MDAs, representing 51.62 per cent scored partial compliance, and 49 MDAs, representing 15.91 per cent scored poor compliance and 9 MDAs, representing 2.92 per cent scored non-compliance.
Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, was ranked fourth with 88.02 points and Nigeria Communication Commission, Abuja was ranked fifth with 87.20, while the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State was ranked sixth with 86.85 points.
Other MDAs also ranked were: National Ear Care Centre with 85.45 points, Nigeria Shippers Council with 84.63 points, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Ikeja with 84.38 points and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency with 83.90 points.
Further findings from the report revealed that “177 MDAs (57.47%) do not have a system for staff to sign off as having read and understood its core values, mission and vision and 183 MDAs (59.42%) do not have domesticated Policy regarding acceptance of gifts, donations, hospitality etc.
“95 MDAs (30.84%) do not have a Strategic Plan and 152 MDAs (49.35%) do not conduct monitoring and evaluation of its activities and programmes for the year under review.
“253 MDAS (82.14%) did not encourage conduct of System Studies/Corruption Risk Assessments by the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) in MDAS.
“63 MDAs (20.45%) do not have a guideline on granting of advances to staff and 52 MDAs (16.88%) do not make retirement on advances as and when due.
“106 MDAs (34.42%) did not render financial reports to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for the year under review while 108 MDAs (35.06%) do not have functional and effective Stock Verification Unit,” the report said.
It also noted that “87 MDAs (28.25%) do not have knowledge about existing regulation for approval to spend from the IGR.
“37 MDAS (12.01%) do not undertake internal audits as and when due. 94 MDAS (30.52%) have no evidence of implementation of observations raised by internal audit and 96 MDAs (31.17%) do not render annual Audited account to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation and National Assembly.
“82 MDAS (26.62%) do not conduct annual needs assessment preparatory to its procurement in compliance with PPA Act, 2027 and 48 MDAs (15.58%) do not have an annual procurement plan in line with its approved annual budget.
“220 MDAs (74.35%) do not have accessible Whistle-blower Policy in place and 87 MDAS (28.25%) do not have dedicated channels for corruption reportage.
“92 MDAS (29.87%) do not have ACTU in place with average scores of 34.98% representing 3.49% of 10% allotted on the EICS. 192 MDAS (62.34%) scored below average mark of 50% and 116 MDAs (37.66%) scored average and above.
“26 ACTUs (8.44%) are rated Very Effective, 58 ACTUS (18.83%) are Effective, 127 ACTUS (41.23%) are Ineffective, 5 ACTUS (1.62%) are Dormant and 92 ACTUS (29.87%) are Nonexistent.”
The report recommended the ICPC to review the findings and take proactive steps to follow up to ensure maximum compliance.
It also urged government to enhance enforcement of the statutory provisions on the rendering of periodic and annual audited reports by MDAs to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, OAuGF, and the Public Account Committee, PAC, of the National Assembly.
“The ICPC to ensure MDAs strict compliance with regulatory laws including the Public Procurement Act, 2007 in the discharge of their procurement responsibilities through system review and other tools, while observed violations be promptly sanctioned.
“The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to direct MDAs to develop domesticated Whistleblower policies within their organisations in tandem with the National Whistleblower Policy.
“MDAs should ensure the production and implementation of Strategic Plans, conduct of System Study and Reviews and Corruption Risk Assessments to assist in institutionalizing integrity.
“MDAs should give maximum support to ACTUS through reasonable funding, adoption of recommendations from activities like investigations, SSR and CRA and non-interference in their assignments.
“The Budget Office of the Federation and National Assembly should ensure MDAS incorporation of budget line ANTI-CORRUPTION code 22021017 on the recurrent expenditures under the miscellaneous subhead (code: 220210) for the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUS).
“The ICPC to formulate and incorporate the budget line – MONITORING ACTIVITIES AND FOLLOW UP code: 22021029-under the miscellaneous sub-head on its budgets for the purpose of effective monitoring of ACTUs and its activities,” the report read in part.
