Nigeria leads Africa in asset recovery, can’t be second most corrupt — ICPC

The Independent and Financial Crimes Commission said the Transparency International report on Nigeria was unfair and untenable.

Spokesperson of the Commission, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, in a statement on Friday, said TI has consistently failed to recognise the efforts of the present regime to tame corruption in the country.

She added that these efforts included the increasing number of cases filed in court and jail terms secured in several convictions against corrupt persons across all levels of society, including hitherto ‘sacred cows’.

According to her, in reality, this regime has put in place several mechanisms to ensure transparency in the management of its financial affairs.

Among the mechanisms she mentioned are the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, Government Integrated Management Information System, the Treasury Single Account and more recently the portal www.open treasury.

“ICPC finds it necessary to issue a statement on the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index released recently by Transparency International, the global anti-corruption watchdog.

“The report ranked Nigeria 146 out of 180 countries with a score of 26 out 0f 100 and painted a dismal picture of the country’s anti-corruption efforts by placing Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in the West African region, ” she said.

“More importantly, the strides of government in relation to corruption prevention measures appear to have been totally ignored.

“Perception is one thing, the reality is another. To lend credence to perception, it may be helpful to match it against reality especially when information on perception is coming from a source such as TI.”

According to her, Nigeria currently leads Africa in asset recovery.

She further stated that it would be helpful if TI would publish its research parameters so its data could be disaggregated rather than build its rankings on a few issues such as political corruption.

“No doubt we are not yet where we ought to be, but we have not been stationary either.

“The country has moved well away from where it was a number of years back in terms of enforcement, prevention and citizen engagement against corruption.

“ICPC is firmly persuaded that the silent majority of Nigerians appreciate the anti-corruption efforts of the government led by President Muhammadu Buhari even if TI does not.” (NAN)