Public service bureau launches anti-graft unit

The Bureau of Public Service Reform (BPSR) yesterday inaugurated a seven man committee, BPSR Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to man its in house anti-graft drive. It is chaired by Mr. Nalok Sabastine.

Director General of the bureau Dr. Joe Abah in his remarks said corruption lies at the heart of government dwindling revenue in developing countries.

He said the best way to tackle it was “to make public services more transparent” and to prevent corrupt practices rather than prosecution offenders.

Abah said apart from the Constitution of the country, the Freedom of Information bill which was signed into law last year by President Goodluck Jonathan is the best tool yet if well utilized by the public to seek accountability from public officials.

He said: “corruption lowers incentives for private and foreign investment, increases cost of doing business and breeds inequality and unfairness as well as undermines enterprises.”

The chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) Ekpo Nta who administered the oath to the unit members said there has been appreciable progress in fight against corruption since 2001 when government agencies were ordered by the head of service to establish anti-corruption desks.

Nta who was represented by the commission’s head of Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Mr. Barnabas Gaji tasked the unit members to exhibit exemplary behavior in their official duties and expose any corrupt tendency by public servants.