Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, has urged Nigerians to turn negative behaviors to positive ones through the inculcation of positive values.
He said this in Enugu in his message at a one-day sensitisation workshop for stakeholders on bringing about behavioral change in society using the National Ethics and Integrity Policy.
“The ideal behavior for citizens is that they should respect the laws of the land, keep their words, do their duty with diligence, respect and value other human beings.
“They should also not get involved in stealing from the government, cheating others or any form of deception,” he said.
The chairman said that the commission had designed several programmes and initiatives to bring about behavioral change in Nigeria.
He said: “These include the National Values Curriculum for teaching of positive values to pupils and students at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions.
“Others are National Ethics and Integrity Policy for promoting integrity generally, Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to measure level of compliance to integrity standards.”
Represented by the Resident Anti-corruption Commissioner for Enugu and Ebonyi states, Mr Kennedy Ewotemi, the chairman stressed the need for constant communication of those initiatives to the relevant stakeholders.
Speaking, the Resident Anti-corruption Commissioner, Enugu and Ebonyi states, Ewotemi, said the workshop was designed to engage major stakeholders in fight against corruption using positive behavioral change methods.
He said the commission realises that enforcement approach alone was not enough to get rid of the menace of corruption in the society.
“Therefore, it requires active involvements and engagement of stakeholders for it to be robust and successful,” he said.
The commissioner said that it was only through the concerted efforts of all concerned that Nigeria could overcome “the scourge called corruption.”
He also said the workshop was aimed at helping the stakeholders implement the National Ethics and Integrity Policy with the view to stimulating desirable behavioral change.
Ewotemi described positive change as a catalyst to a corruption-free Nigeria which would deliver the Nigeria of “our dreams where opportunities abound for citizens to achieve their potentials.
“A corruption-free Nigeria will assure our teeming youths of gainful employment and fulfillment; a corruption-free Nigeria will guarantee qualitative healthcare; functional education, good infrastructure and economic prosperity,” he said.
The representative of the Civil Society Groups, Amb. Amaka Okeke, said corruption originated from the attitude and character of the people.
“Corruption is in our attitude; in our character as a people. Corruption comes up because we have decided to do wrong things.
“The change we desire in Nigeria begins with us. We are the agents of the change we desire,” she said.
Okeke said that corruption cuts across every facets of our national life and urged the participants to take advantage of the workshop to change their behaviors.
The workshop attracted many stakeholders including clergies, imams, youth groups and the civil society.
