High cost of persecuting corruption cases and recovering looted funds have been identified as some of the reasons for focusing on prevention mechanisms in the fight against corruption under the current administration in Nigeria.
President Muhamamdu Buhari disclosed this on Monday while declaring the Corruption Risk Assessment Training for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in the African Union, open at the Banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Corruption Risk Assessment training program seeks to identify corruption-prone processes and procedures in organisations and recommend appropriate remedial steps.
The training methodology also places a premium on prevention as an effective complement to enforcement in the war against corruption.
President Buhari noted however that while commendable successes have been recorded, it has become manifest that corruption fights back, adding that “With enormous stolen resources elements have attempted to compromise law enforcing institutions and pervert the course of justice”
“This realization highlights the necessity of building a system that focuses on preventing corruption. We continue to implement policies aimed at building resilient systems that can withstand assault by corrupt officials.”
According to him, “ Our steps in this direction include the full implementation of both the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN) the Open Government Partnership, various Executive Orders, strengthening the Anti-Corruption Agencies and permitting their full autonomy”
“It is in this context of building robust preventive systems that we must understand this initiative which aims to train leaders of anti-corruption agencies in the African Union by deploying Corruption Risk Assessment Methodology for corruption prevention.
The training which is at the instance of the Nigerian government, is also being facilitated by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) the research and training arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related OffenceCommission (ICPC).
The President describe the fight against corruption as a battle for the souls of our different countries and it is one that we must win.
“Since independence our continent has suffered from the severe consequences of corruption and it is imperative that we take steps to reverse the trend.
He noted that the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria has a robust curriculum and expertise cutting across the spectrum of anti-corruption training which can be adapted for other countries taking into consideration national specifics.
“To further strengthen this institution, the Academy has our support as it moves towards its objective of being an African Centre of Excellence in anti-corruption training and capacity building.
“I would like here to point out that the training on CRA can only have meaning when the Risk Assessors are put to work.
“In Nigeria, the Methodology has been deployed to a number of sectors. The most recent one being the Risk Assessment of the country’s e-government system whose report is now available and the summary presented earlier this morning. It is therefore my great pleasure to present this Report to all the stakeholders, many of whom are present with us here.
