News
NSITF goes into pact with ICPC to fight official sleaze in Nigeria
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has gone int collaborative arrangement with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), to strengthen its internal capacity to fight corruption and win public trust.
The move is not only geared towards ensuring accountability of subscribers’ funds, but also geared towards detection of corruption within the Fund, and promotion of good governance, upholding accountability and integrity while maintaining commitment to ethical principles.
Oluwaseun Faleye, Managing Director of the company, who led a management delegation Musa Adamu Aliyu, Chairman of the ICPC, said the collaboration, which he described as critical to the effort to eradicate the menace of corruption could actually redefine the fight against menace not only in the NSITF, but the country at large.
The engagement by the two chief executives, who emphasised the need for a symbiotic relationship to tackle official sleaze in the country, was captured by Alexandra Mede, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, in a statement.
Stressing that the move underscored a shared vision by merging time-honoured values with bold, forward-thinking reforms, the NSITF boss, was quoted to have said: “NSITF has long prided itself on upholding the highest ethical standards. We are fully dedicated to fostering a culture of transparency and integrity.
“This meeting wasn’t just a routine protocol, it was a decisive step toward a collaborative future with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, an agency that stands as a bulwark against corrupt practices.
“The commitment is clear, by empowering its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, ACTU, and launching a comprehensive, Fund-wide campaign on corruption prevention. With about 120 staff earmarked to serve as ACTU liaison officers, the institution is reinforcing its traditional values of accountability and public trust.
“The fewer the scandals, the greater the trust our people have in us. This isn’t merely a regulatory exercise, it’s a strategic move to reclaim the public’s confidence. By embracing established practices of rigorous audit, internal compliance, and capacity building, NSITF and ICPC are set to create a robust, corruption-resistant framework.
“The message is unambiguous, ethical governance isn’t just good practice; it’s the only way to honor the legacy of our institutions and safeguard the future. At a time when public scrutiny is at its peak, this meeting signals a turning point. By aligning traditional accountability with modern anti-corruption strategies, NSITF is not only preserving the trusted values of the past but also charting a sustainable course for the future. In the battle against corruption, collaboration and steadfast integrity remain the ultimate game changers.”
Welcoming the visitors, Aliyu, while echoing the same sentiments, stressed the need for the Fund to be above board in terms of integrity given that its main business was dealing with funds contributed by workers.
His words: “For any MDA that is dealing with funds, there are a lot of risks and challenges, especially in dealing with employees, and the funds contributed by workers. That is why your job is very sensitive.
“I quite agree with you that your most valuable asset is trust, and confidence. If people have confidence in you, they will be willing to make their contributions, but once they don’t have that confidence, you will be facing a lot of challenges.
“So, as an agency, the ICPC has a preventive mandate, which in my view, is more important because we shouldn’t allow issues to happen that will lead to investigation. This wastes a lot of time and it is causing a lot of problems that will be difficult for us to manage.
“That is why there is the need for the two agencies to come together to see how we can work so that both of us can work effectively to prevent corruption.”
Hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen did, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, also flatly rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries, of the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, described the announced results as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party.
He said in a statement: “I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He said he had previously maintained that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent, stressing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the ADC claimed to represent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor questioned the moral basis of the ADC criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral malpractice while allegedly engaging in similar conduct internally.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he declared.
Amaechi said the ADC was envisioned as a platform to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide credible political alternatives irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social background.
His rejection of the outcome is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party following the conclusion of its presidential primary election.
“These timeless virtues of devotion, selflessness, and submission to divine will are values our nation desperately needs today,” were the exact words with which Godswill Akpabio, attempted to rouse Nigerians to the ethos of unquestionable faith and service to the country.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, who drew example from Prophet Ibrahim, admonished Nigerians to emulate his unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
The Senate President, who conveyed his sentiments via a statement by Eseme Eyiboh, also used the specifically hail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Kashim Shettima and Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world as they celebrate Eid El Kabir.
Stressing that the occasion called for prayer and sober reflection on the theme of sacrifice, he added: “This sacred occasion reminds us of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
“To our dear President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima and Muslim brothers and sisters, I felicitate with them on behalf of my family, constituents and the Senate on this blessed Eid. May the lessons of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity that define this season strengthen your faith and bring peace to your homes.
“As you share with the less privileged and extend love to neighbours of all faiths, you embody the true spirit of Nigeria. To all Nigerians, I urge us to use this solemn period to pray fervently for peace, security, and prosperity in our land. Let us pray for our troops in the frontlines, for farmers to return safely to their fields, and for unity to prevail over division in our Nation.
“Eid El Kabir also calls us to deep reflection on the future of our country. Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested, Nigeria is in a season of testing. The sacrifices we make today in patience, in tolerance and in choosing hope over despair will determine the Nigeria our children inherit.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, supported by the National Assembly, is anchored on that same principle: that meaningful progress often requires collective sacrifice.
“May Almighty Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices. May He heal our land, guide our leaders, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barka da Sallah. Eid Mubarak.”
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.”
These were the exact words of Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with which he cast a slur on the ongoing presidential primaries of the party, hinging his position on reports of fraud trailing the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen, a second timer in the search for the nation’s number one job, ran against Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
In a statement on his assessment of the exercise which began on Monday, the renowned economist Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), used his X platform to convey his dissatisfaction with the process.
The ADC which said the collation for the exercise would take place in Abuja had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
Bolaji Abdullahi, its spokesman, who described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative, maintained that it remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” he said adding that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Makinde, Turaki, lose! *S’Court affirms Wike’s PDP leadership
-
News2 weeks agoTinubu to African leaders: Copy Nigeria, produce your way out of poverty
-
News1 week agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
Features4 weeks agoJim Nwobodo: The Sun shines, thrills, at ‘The Vanguard Awards’
-
Columns5 days agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News2 weeks agoWhy we pegged presidential ticket forms at N60million – NDC
-
News2 weeks agoGowon on civil war: My book is to put records straight, remove falsehood
-
News3 weeks agoBREAKING! Coast brightens for Obi, as NDC zones presidency to South