SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN ABAJI AREA COUNCIL HON ABUBAKAR UMAR ABDULLAHI, ABLY REPRESENTED BY THE VICE CHAIRMAN ABAJI AREA COUNCIL, HON ISAH MAKKAH ON THE OCCASION OF ONE DAY SENSITIZATION OF STAFF OF THE COUNCIL AND LEA ORGANIZED BY ABAJI AREA COUNCIL CHAPTER OF ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY UNIT (ACTU) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC).

Protocols

On 24th of October 2024, the Council made history by establishing and inaugurating an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit for the first time. The inauguration of the Unit is borne out of our strong desire to build strong institutions that would promote transparency, accountability and good governance in the Area Council. It is a fact that Corruption permeates every facet of public life/service and manifests itself in various forms.

To further underline this Administration’s commitment to strengthen the anti-corruption efforts in the Council, we have also put in place the followings action plans, shortly after the inauguration of ACTU last year:

Enactment of Bye-laws covering and regulating forty-three (43) lines of public and private activities and businesses in the Area Council
Joining the fold/membership of Open Government Partnership (OGP), Nigeria Initiative. OGP is a unique initiative wherein Government, Civil Society and Citizens partners together with the objective of promoting transparency, participation, inclusive and accountable governance. It is a global initiative which was established in 2011 and now made up of 77 countries and 150 Local Governments, representing more than 2 billion people and about 1,000 Civil Society Organizations around the world.

Distinguished guests, it may interest you to know that Abaji Area Council is the 5th Local Government Council to join this initiative in Nigeria. It is also pertinent to know that, one of the OGP thematic commitments Abaji Area Council has chosen to focus is on: “Strengthening Anti-Corruption Mechanism in the Council.”
Disbursement of fund for the conduct of this program of sensitization of staff of the Council and LEA, despite financial difficulties we are experiencing. It is heartwarming that Abaji Area Council ACTU is organizing this sensitization to increase staff and stakeholders awareness on their respective role in building a corruption free working environment. This is even more significant considering the fact that public servants are custodians of citizens’ trust and commonwealth. Infact, where there is power and money, there is potential for unfair and unethical abuses and mismanagement.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to know that many corruption risks exist in public workplaces/offices in the form of internal bribery, nepotism, financial fraud, embezzlement, false statement, forgery, dereliction of duty, misappropriation/misapplication of public fund, willful destruction of public property, falsification of records, refusal to keep record etc.

In a simple language, corruption can be described as a wrongful design to cause or acquire some unfair advantage or financial gain. The action plans above are thus some of the anti-corruption initiatives we have created to curb corrupt practices.
It is therefore hoped that at the end of this program today, staff’s consciousness and awareness on what constitute corrupt practices in the workplace and the roles of ACTU in curbing it would have been raised to an appreciable level. Without any iota of pretense, the fight against corruption is a very difficult and delicate one due to its endemic nature. For this fight to be successful, we must all change our psyche, orientation and ways. The journey may look long, but surely, a journey of one thousand miles begins with a step. Therefore, we should all be hopeful.

On this note, it is my singular honour and privilege to flag-off this one day sensitization program to the glory of God and the good of Abaji society. He concluded.

PC Gidi Balugi

Abu Nigeria CPS to the Executive Chairman AAC
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