Double-check financial documents before signing, ICPC chair advises heads of MDAs

Musa Aliyu, chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), says heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) should always double-check financial documents submitted by public officials before appending their signatures.

Aliyu spoke on Wednesday during an interactive session with heads of MDAs in Abuja.

The ICPC chairman said the anti-graft agency will prosecute any chief executive officer engaged in corrupt practices.

“When I was attorney general, I could remember that seven million naira was paid for a project on which N100,000 will be spent,” he said.

“It was when I looked closely that I was able to discover otherwise. If you are not careful, those working under you will try to push things that after you leave, you will be called to account for what you did not know, and nobody will listen to you that you have never seen, or you did not know anything about it because the box stops at your table.”

“Corruption is a major cog in the wheel of our collective aspirations and meaningful development as a people. Undoubtedly, the havoc that corruption has done to the public service and our nation at large cannot be quantified.

“In recognition of the importance of leadership in ensuring that corruption is diminished in the public sector, this executive session is designed to generate discussions.

“It will focus on how best we can collaboratively prevent corruption in our MDAs with the understanding and agreement that prevention is better than cure.

“It is also to help them avoid common leadership pitfalls that sometimes result in investigation and eventual prosecution. It is to help them garner the required knowledge and strategies to start and finish their service with their heads high.

“In order to avoid both internal and external pitfalls as chief executives, a gathering of this nature will avail you ample opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and strategies on how to handle issues.

“It will, particularly, provide insight into how to handle institutionalised internal practices that are traps set to make you complicit in future corrupt practices.”

Aliyu added that heads of MDAs need to be cautious not to get into situations of aiding and abetting corruption within their agencies.