The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has announced its commitment to supporting the campaign against corruption in the workplace. In a partnership with the Anti-Corruption Agency of Nigeria (ACAN), the NCDMB aims to achieve zero-tolerance for corruption.
During a three-day sensitization workshop themed “Achieving Zero-tolerance for Corruption in the Workplace,” the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, praised ACAN and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission for extending the anti-corruption campaign to ministries, departments, and agencies. He added that the NCDMB wholeheartedly approved and supported the campaign by launching its own NCDMB-Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, which is now operational.
Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman of the ICPC, commended the NCDMB for their dedication to creating a corruption-free work environment and their unwavering support for the commission’s anti-corruption endeavors. He recalled the active participation of NCDMB-ACTU in a similar one-week sensitization workshop held earlier in the year in Abuja.
Representing the ICPC, Professor Olatunde Babawale emphasized that corruption lies at the core of the country’s underdevelopment. He stressed the need for effective measures to combat corruption in order to rejuvenate society. Recognizing the critical role played by the NCDMB in the oil and gas industry, Babawale called for procedures within the sector to be streamlined and cleansed of corruption. He argued that a corruption-free industry would contribute to the overall well-being of the country.
Babawale further noted that despite the existence of multiple laws to curb corruption, Nigeria continues to grapple with the issue. He advocated for a new approach that targets social norms, unspoken principles, and collectively held beliefs. Society should shift its focus from admiring individuals with questionable sources of wealth, and instead emphasize moral integrity and condemn irresponsible acquisition of wealth.
By taking a stand against corruption in the workplace, the NCDMB and ACAN are working towards a cleaner, more transparent, and prosperous Nigeria.
Punch/Olusola Akintonde
