The Abia State Government on Wednesday inaugurated the State Strategy for Integrity, Accountability and Anti-Corruption Steering Committee, charging members to commence implementation of the state’s anti-corruption framework immediately.
Inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, the state Head of Service, Mr Benson Ojeikere, said the establishment of the committee demonstrates the government’s commitment to institutionalising integrity and accountability across the public service.
Ojeikere noted that members were carefully selected because of their strategic positions and capacity to drive the implementation of the state’s anti-corruption agenda.
According to him, the committee, which is made up largely of permanent secretaries and senior government officials, is expected to provide policy direction, monitor implementation progress, address emerging challenges and ensure that the objectives of the State Strategy for Integrity, Accountability and Anti-Corruption are achieved.
He urged members to discharge their responsibilities with dedication, professionalism and a strong sense of duty, saying the success of the initiative would strengthen public confidence in government institutions.
“The success of this initiative will strengthen public confidence in government institutions, improve service delivery and further promote transparency in governance,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to advance the cause of integrity and accountability in the state, explaining that the inauguration was aimed at deepening transparency, accountability and good governance.
In his remarks, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN), represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Paul Ogubunka, described corruption as a major challenge confronting the public service and stressed that the vision of building a prosperous and accountable Abia State can only be achieved on a foundation of integrity.
He said, “If we are to take the issue of corruption seriously and build the Abia of our dreams as envisioned by Governor Alex Otti, then we must lay a strong foundation of integrity. You cannot build a skyscraper on a weak foundation, and integrity remains the cornerstone of everything this initiative stands for.
“We have completed the validation exercise, which paved the way for what we are doing today. Moving forward, I encourage all of us to engage effectively in this process so that we can set a new standard for accountability and transparency in Abia State.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the State Programme Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, Mr Peter Omenka, described the steering committee as the “policy compass for integrity and accountability” in Abia State.
He explained that the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme is supported by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, adding that the programme is dedicated to strengthening the rule of law, improving access to justice for women, children and persons with disabilities, and promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions.
He noted that Abia State is among the newest beneficiaries of the programme and emphasised the importance of the committee’s oversight role in ensuring effective implementation of the state’s anti-corruption agenda.
“Without strong oversight, Abia’s anti-corruption agenda remains a document; it has no life. With your leadership, it becomes action,” he said.
