The Independent Corrut Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has mapped out a four-year strategic plan (2024-2028) to realise its constitutional mandate in the fight against corruption.
Specifically, the agency said it would scale up judicial advocacy, technology upgrade, legislative advocacy, effective case management and staff welfare to achieve its set objectives.
ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Aliyu Adamu (SAN) said this Wednesday at a breakfast session with some senior journalists in Abuja.
He said: “The ICPC Strategic Plan 2024-2028 was developed through a rigorous process that commenced with a comprehensive assessment of the 2019-2023 plan’s performance. This evaluation identified key successes, challenges, and areas for improvement, informing the strategic direction for the new plan. In collaboration with RoLAC, a two-day retreat was held to validate the new strategy. The retreat encompassed a thorough review of the previous plan, establishing a clear vision, mission, and strategic objectives.
“A robust results framework was developed, strategic activities were identified and aligned with national and sub-national strategies, and an M&E operational framework was established to ensure effective implementation.
“The four Technical Sub-Committee reports on the 2024-2028 strategy were presented and subsequently integrated into a comprehensive document by the Planning, Research, and Statistics Department.”
The Commission highlighted some challenges in the way of its progress to include political inference, financial constraints, technological vulnerability, legislative limitations, judicial delays, personnel security, socio-cultural factors and internal conflict of interests.
The identified challenges, according to the strategic plan, would be addressed through “Judicial Collaboration: Engage in collaborative sessions with the Judiciary through the National Judicial Council and National Judicial Institute.
“Public Education and Awareness: Conduct sensitization sessions utilizing the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP), National Values Curriculum (NVC), Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), and other relevant initiatives.
“Technology Upgrade: Update ICT infrastructure and provide staff training to adapt to technological advancements.
“Data Management: Develop an online data portal or upgrade the existing Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) for streamlined data collection and reporting.
“Legislative Advocacy: Advocate for amendments to the ICPC Act to enhance its effectiveness.
“Integrity Assurance: Implement mechanisms for periodic integrity checks and tests for Commission staff.
“Efficient Case Management: Establish clear timelines for petition processing and increase the investigation of non-petition intelligence-led cases.
“Staff Welfare: Develop and implement comprehensive Conditions of Service and enhance retirement benefits to improve staff morale.
“Strategic Communication: Employ and deploy skilled communicators across multiple channels to enhance public engagement, and
“Communication Enhancement: Allocate additional funding for radio and TV jingles, production of informational materials, and expansion of communication channels.”
To achieve the strategic plans, the document said: “The Commission has a set of fundamental values that support the implementation of the strategy shared by the Board, Management and staff. The ICPC is unequivocally committed to these values in all its interactions. The acronym of ACTION is adopted.
“Accountability: Upholding the highest standards of professionalism, diligently fulfilling responsibilities in accordance with best practices, and demonstrating unwavering commitment to competence and ethical conduct.
“Collaboration: Fostering a culture of teamwork and cooperation, where individuals actively support and complement each other’s efforts to achieve shared objectives.
“Tenacity: Demonstrating unwavering dedication, determination, and perseverance in the pursuit of goals, while maintaining efficiency and a results-oriented approach.
“Integrity: Acting with impartiality, honesty, and transparency, always prioritizing the public interest and upholding the highest ethical standards.
“Ownership: Taking full responsibility for individual and collective actions, striving for continuous improvement, and ensuring the delivery of highquality results that meet or exceed established performance standards.
“Nurturing Excellence: Cultivating a culture of continuous learning and development, encouraging innovation, and consistently striving for the highest standards of performance and service delivery.” “For the Commission, these values are not just a set of words but agreed ground rules.
“The following mechanisms have therefore been put in place to ensure compliance: Deployment of relevant ICT to help create a culture of efficiency and improved communication; Continuous training and reorientation to ensure professionalism, maintain high ethical standards and encourage teamwork; and Performance monitoring systems to sustain a culture of accountability and excellence.”
