How NCDMB makes sure corruption stays out so that it can keep the most transparent agency title even longer
To emphatically register that the will to ensure integrity exists considering the billions of Naira often dispatched to the Board to execute oil and gas industry-related projects, NCDMB decided to tap into the mindset of 14 students drafted from federally-owned secondary schools in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, and Bayelsa State.
Maintaining the reputation of being corruption-free has required diligent coping mechanisms from a critical agency like the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) over the years, so marking the 2024 World Anti-corruption Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Thursday 5 December 2024, there was a deliberate move to reiterate this commitment by wielding the innocence of the young at heart and in their advanced stages of learning.
This is because there is so much at stake running the Board to reflect its essence, hence the reason why Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, yesterday, talked about the tools within his orbit that help to tackle graft.
Shielding Engr. Ogbe’s organisation from underhand practices led to setting up an anti-corruption department – ACTU-NCDMB – which has its own functional office running separately so as to drive quick results.
To emphatically register that the will to ensure integrity exists considering the billions of Naira often dispatched to the Board to execute oil and gas industry-related projects, NCDMB decided to tap into the mindset of 14 students drafted from federally-owned secondary schools in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, and Bayelsa State where the Board has its office.
A total of two student representatives were delivered by the Federal Government College, Odi, Bayelsa State, Federal Government College, Okigwe, Imo State, Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State, Federal Government Girls College, Kazaure, Jigawa State, Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos State, Federal Government College, Maiduguri, Borno State, and Federal Government College, Rubochi, Abuja – all were expected to gather at the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower (NCT) building to debate each other on the year’s theme commemorating the fight against corruption.
“Effective Whistleblowers Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight against Corruption” was the theme that the 14 participants were to pitch ideas around and after the contest, there could only be one winner.
By the end of the keenly contested debate, representatives of the Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State emerged winners. The school was led by the contstants, Miss Osanoritse Blessing Kowe and Miss Eyituoyo Anne-Marie Awala.
As a team, both scored 76.4 percent in order to overcome counterparts from Federal Government Girls College, Kazaure, Jigawa State, who had more female voices Miss Sabiu Rabiatu Ibrahim and Miss Khadiya Shamsuddin in their ranks. Together, the opposing team gained 74.4 percent.
Having done their bits to defend the topic “Impact of Integrity on the Expansion of Public Trust and Confidence in Governance,” the winners received a high-end HP laptop and were also presented with a plaque with some additional prizes to mark their victory.
Deep inside the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, there is already a corruption risk assessment covering major functions, according to Executive Secretary Engr. Felix Omatshola Ogbe when he gave a speech at the anti-corruption day event.
The major functions he referred to include human resources, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, planning, research and statistics which he says is a bid to mitigate vulnerabilities to corruption across the Board.
An arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been joining hands with the NCDMB in its fight to keep out graft from its orbit.
Based on the partnership with the Anti-corruption Academy of Nigeria of the ICPC, NCDMB staff get to undertake capacity-building training in corruption prevention techniques, the strategies for effective workplace anti-corruption campaigns, making bribery and corruption risk assessment, with other skills.
Engr. Ogbe, celebrating International Anti-corruption Day (IACD) on Thursday wants the focus to be on delivering a strong message for extra vigilance by all of us in combating the menace of corruption from all fronts.
A welcome address by the Chairman, ACTU-NCDMB, Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu, supported this. Giving his remarks, he thanked the Executive Secretary for the support he often provides to the ACTU Unit, which ensures its smooth running most of the time.
Creating the Projects Inspectorate Directorate within his unit has been particularly helpful. According to Alhaji Halilu, this assists with ensuring that our processes were established to drive [the] execution of the Board’s projects and also interface with [the] industry.
Summing up why inviting students’ participation was important, he said we are celebrating this International Anti-corruption Day by exploring the latent potentials of the next generation of leaders as agents of change in the fight against corruption in all facets of our lives.”
The journey since 2022 gives many reasons to cheer when considering how the Board has fared against other governmental establishments in terms of institutional integrity.
Under that duration and up to now, NCDMB has been named the Best Performing Agency in transparency and efficiency by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and from the Board’s body language, there is no intention to relent.
