Fund Implementation of Anti-Corruption Strategy, CSOs Urge FG.

By Lucky Isibor

Members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Federal Government to fund the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) which has entered it's second phase, just as they called on development partners working in the anti-corruption sector to increase funding of both Government and Non-Government anti-corruption initiatives that aims at the implementation of the strategy. 

Participants at the stakeholder dialogue

This was part of the outcome statement of the Stakeholder Dialogue on the National Anti-corruption Strategy (NACS II) in Abuja, held November 29 by the

Anti-corruption cluster of the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project being implemented by the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) as anchor and her 8 cluster organisations.

In a statement signed by the Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, Ann Ojugo, of Joint Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Edo State Chapter and 13 others, stated that the stakeholder dialogue was used to discuss and present the newly approved National Anti-corruption Strategy-NACS 11-(2022 – 2026) for awareness and implementation process, share lessons learned from NACS I to improve the implementation of NACS II. 

The meeting discussed awareness creation and public engagement on the implementation of the National Anti-corruption Strategy as well as the roles CSOs can play in the implementation of the NACS II, noting that it became necessary as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has extended a revised version and its implementation for another five (5) years.

The stakeholder dialogue identified the challenges that confronted the implementation of NACS 1 and made recommendations for the implementation of NACS 11.

"The non-formation and inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) as provided for in the NACS document, posed a major hindrance to the implementation of the NACS. Under the policy, the IMC has the responsibility for facilitating the Anti-corruption Funding Framework (AFF) and the development of sector-specific strategies for the implementation of NACS.

"There is an observed lack of knowledge and misinformation on the part of most agencies as to their expectations in the implementation of the NACS policy.

Most agencies are uninformed or do not understand the purport of the policy and what is expected of them in its implementation.

"Inter-Agency rivalry and supremacy battles undermined effective implementation, working against cooperation, information and intelligence sharing, effectiveness of operational platforms and coordination of the anti-graft war.

"Poor funding of the NACS is the greatest challenge facing the implementation of the Strategy. The M&E Committee in its four years received no funding from the government except funding from Development Partners like MacArthur Foundation, Centre for Democracy & Development and RoLAC. 

"The National Anti-Corruption Strategy and its implementation have not been given adequate publicity by both the private and public old media outlets and agencies such as the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, the National Orientation Agency, etc. 

While calling on the Federal Government to encourage public participation in the implementation of NACS 11, the statement said, "CSOs call on FG to inaugurate a high-power Inter-Ministerial Council (IMC) in the 2nd NACS to give a boost to the war against corruption. 

"In-line with pillar one of NACS, CSOs call on FG to actively support and promote strong public participation/engagement initiatives in popularizing the NACS II. Civil society should work with Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to promote the remaining 14 ethical re-orientation values to improve public enlightenment among stakeholders. 

"FG should provide support to the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) to meet quarterly to interact, share intelligence and learn from each other thereby promoting collaboration amongst anti-corruption agencies.

"FG should make deliberate provisions in the annual budgets to fund implementation of NACS II. Development partners working in the sector should increase funding of both Government and Non-Government anti-corruption initiatives that aims at the implementation of the strategy. 

"FG should hold a round table with CCB, NOA, the National Commission for Films and Video Sensor Board and the media to publicize the implementation of NACS II.

"CSOs call on the Attorney General to issue the guidelines on the activation of the implementation of POCA in-line with pillar 5 of NACS to boost the fight against corruption". 

About 24 participants attended the stakeholder dialogue while 11 joined via zoom, and were drawn from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Secretariat, the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) under the Federal Ministry of Justice, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), CSOs and journalists.