A recent ethics and integrity compliance assessment
conducted by the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on 108 federal
government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAS) has revealed that most of them lack fraud prevention
strategies, including checks and
balances, periodic published audited
accounts, and stock verification systems among others.
In spite of the current administration stance on
anti-corruption, most of the MDAs also do not have well-articulated
whistleblowing mechanism/policies as well a functional and effective asset
verification units.
According to the assessment which was obtained by
the media, the ICPC conducted an 'Ethics and Integrity Compliance' scorecard on
108 government organisations based on corporate governance indicators, which
showed that only 27 MDAs are fully compliant with standards of ethics and
integrity in their management, finance and administration systems.
From 19 government ministries assessed, none scored
full compliance while only five scored between 70 and 95 per cent with
substantial compliance. Eleven ministries scored 50 to 69 per cent while two
non-complying ministries scored between 1 to 49 per cent, leaving one ministry
non-responsive.
The report listed five best performing ministries
with sound financial management systems as the Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Investment, 38.6 per cent; Ministry of Finance, 38.4 per cent; Ministry of
Petroleum Resources, 37.8 per cent; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, 36.6 per cent, and Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, 36
4 per cent.
The best performing ministries in terms of good
administrative systems are the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, 24.9
per cent; Ministry of Finance, 20.9 per cent; Ministry of Petroleum Resources,
20.8 per cent; Ministry of Youths and Sports, 20.6 per cent, and Ministry of
Science and Technology, 19.6 per cent.
The five top ministries which scored the highest under management culture and
structure indicators are the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning,
25.8 per cent; Ministry of Information and Culture, 25.6 per cent; Ministry of
Environment, 22.6 per cent; Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, 21.6
per cent, and Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, 22.1 per cent.
On the overall scorecard of ministries, the ICPC
rated the top five as the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Ministry
of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Ministry
of Information and Culture as well as the Ministry of Communication and Digital
Economy.
On the bottom of the ladder are the Ministry of
Transportation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Ministry of Environment.
The ICPC
scorecard also shows that most government organisations are not complying
with standards of ethics and integrity in executing government businesses,
while most of the MDAs lack core values and system for staff to sign off as
having read and understood its core values, mission and vision.
According to the report, most MDAs do not have
domesticated codes of conduct/ethics and policies regarding acceptance of
gifts, donations, hospitality among others.
The ICPC further found out that from 108 MDAs
assessed, five do not have constituted boards; 26 do not require boards, while
77 with boards do not conduct periodic capacity development training for their
board members.
The anti-graft agency’s assessment revealed, among
others, that most MDAs do not have strategic plan with an ethics and compliance
element, adding that where this exists, there are no clearly stated result
framework, specific timelines responsible persons, data collection, analysis
and reports. It also revealed that the management of most MDAs do not have
fraud prevention strategies such as checks and balances, periodic published
audited accounts, and stock verification systems among others.
"Most MDAs do not have well-articulated
whistleblowing mechanism/policies. Most of them do not have a functional and
effective asset verification unit. In most cases, audit unit, store or
committee handles this," the report said.
However, of the 108 MDAs assessed by the ICPC,
Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) topped the list as the best
government parastatal with sound management culture and structure, scoring 30
per cent ahead of others.
Others are National Productivity Centre (29 per
cent); National Hospital, Abuja (27.2 per cent); Rural Electrification Agency
(26.5 per cent); State House (26.4 per cent); Federal Road Maintenance Agency
(FERMA) 26.3 per cent); Nigeria Meteorological Agency (25.8 per cent); Nigeria
Atomic Energy Commission (25.4 per cent); Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission
(25.3 per cent), and Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (24.9 per
cent).
In the overall rating for the parastatals on all
indicators, PTAD is the first and best performing organisation, while the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) was allegedly rated the last
and worst government parastatal in terms of ethics and integrity for being a
non-responsive organisation.
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