BMO lauds ICPC’s renewed assault on corruption

The Buhari Media Organisation has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission for its renewed assault on corrupt officials in public service.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju in Abuja on Wednesday, BMO said that ICPC’s revelations on the scope and extent of graft and stealing in the civil service was not only shocking but appalling and frightening. 
Akinsiju lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye to drive his agenda of cleaning up the civil service.
According to him, recent revelations showed that the anti-graft body has in recent times raised the bar in the anti-graft crusade.
“Not since the tenure of late Justice Mustapha Akanbi have Nigerians witnessed so much activity by the ICPC, targeted at checking corruption in the public sector.
“It’s not even 10 months since Owasanoye assumed duty as ICPC chairman after his stint as Executive Secretary and Head of Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption and Nigerians are seeing how well the President has chosen.
“Having helped draft a number of policies and strategy documents at PACAC, the ICPC chairman has been creating rumbles in the civil service by exposing lots of unethical practices.
“Imagine a situation where a number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been found to have either padded the 2019 budget or inflated contracts?
“How about a situation where 59 directors in one ministry are under investigation over a N 3.3billion fraud.
“We acknowledge that this is one of the cases of outright stealing the Buhari administration is keen on putting an end to in the public sector,” he said.
Akinsiju expressed hope that ICPC would not relent in its efforts, especially as its profile was on the rise.
“Aside from giving insight into the agency’s recent successes, we urge Owasanoye and his team to ensure diligent prosecution of public officials on trial,” he said.