The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has charted a new course in the fight against corruption.
This time, the focus is on the local government areas.
To carry out this mandate are 70 civil society organisations duly registered with the ICPC and in collaboration with the commission.
They work under the umbrella of ICPC National Anti Corruption Coalition.
While addressing the coalition members at a meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the Chairman of ICPC, Ekpo Nta, suggested ways by which local government officials could be held accountable in the discharge of services to the public.
Nta charged the CSOs to organise local people to meetings where they could agree on the projects needed in the community.
He said: “Once you have the community needs collated, you take it to the counsellor of the ward who presents it at the legislative meeting.
“Once it is approved, put it on the community notice board for all to see.
“When the whole community is aware that this project has been approved, they begin to mount pressure on their counsellors and chairmen who will then have no choice than to implement the projects.”
According to Nta, though 298 CSOs were registered with the commission, “only 70 are active and those who are not will be delisted as the meeting also revises the memorandum of understanding that enables the collaboration for better efficiency”.
He noted that the collaboration was primarily empowered by section 6 sub-sections a-f of the ICPC Act, which empowers the commission to enlist the support of active participation of the public in the fight against corruption.
He also commended the active CSOs for helping in the work rather than work in areas that attract foreign donors.
He acknowledged that the work of the CSOs at the various local government areas had helped a lot, especially since ICPC did not have personnel in the local governments.
A participant at the meeting, Jumoke Anifowose, the Secretary of Ajasin Foundation in Owo, Ondo State, told journalists in an interview that corruption was so entrenched even at the grassroots “where every government official demands gratification before they perform their duties”.
Anifowose suggested that aside from the usual ways CSOs in the coalition carry out their work, they could as well work with local youth groups such as the Boys Scout, Girls Guide and others to impart the young ones with societal values and the values of integrity.