By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has revealed that the Supreme Court of Nigeria and 14 other bodies failed to meet the requirements of its 2024 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS).
This announcement highlights the failure of several key institutions to meet the required ethical standards and guidelines set by the ICPC for the year.
The chairman of the ICPC, Mr Musa Aliyu, while unveiling the EICS on Thursday in Abuja, said 330 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were assessed in the outgoing year, but none achieved full compliance with the EICS.
The chairman, represented by the ICPC Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Mr Demola Bakare, emphasised that the 15 non-compliant MDAs had completely failed to conduct any system studies or submit necessary financial and audit reports.
Mr Aliyu said among the non-compliant bodies were the University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Legal Aid Council, Abuja, and Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe.
Other entities on the list, he said included the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Abuja; Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists; Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria; the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), and the National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Ningi, among others.
The ICPC head warned that the ICPC would take appropriate actions, including enforcement measures, against these MDAs to ensure they complied with government directives.
In spite of the non-compliance of some agencies, the Chairman commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for emerging as the top performer in the EICS with a score of 89.75 per cent.
The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) came second with 89.33 per cent, followed by Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) with 88.73 per cent.
The assessment covered key indicators, including Management Culture and Structure (MCS), Governance and Executive Management, and Financial Management Systems (FMS).
It also examined Finance, Revenue, and Audit Processes, as well as Administrative Systems (AS), which included policies, ethics education, and whistle-blowing mechanisms.
The EICS serves as a preventive tool to assess and improve MDAs’ compliance with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.
He said that the scorecard aimed to identify organisational gaps, provide actionable insights, advise the government on policy development, and foster self-evaluation within MDAs.
Mr Aliyu further revealed that between December 2023 and December 2024, the ICPC tracked 1,500 projects across 22 states valued at N610 billion.
“During this period, the commission recovered N346 million in cash, assets worth N400 million, and helped the government save N30 billion.
“The tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 categorised as non-responsive and high-risk for corruption,” he said, noting that no MDA achieved full compliance in 2024.
He attributed these results to the absence of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that 29.55 per cent of MDAs achieved substantial compliance, 51.62 per cent partial compliance, 15.91 per cent poor compliance, and 2.92 per cent were non-compliant.
The chairman said ICPC would continue recognising MDAs with substantial compliance and deploying tools to promote integrity and accountability.