ICPC signs mou with NIDO on tracing, repatriation of stolen funds

ABUJA — The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Germany branch on whistle-blowing on money laundering activities, recovery of proceeds of corruption, assets tracing and monitoring, technical assistance, anti-corruption ICT solutions, communication and research.

Chairman of the ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta, who signed on behalf of the commission, called on members of the community to cooperate with the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.

A statement by the commission’s head of communications, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, quoted the chairman, who performed the ceremony in Germany, as saying the commission was committed to creating strong institutions that would deter corrupt practices.

He said ICPC would continue to treat all petitions from NIDO members expeditiously through continuous investigation, prosecution and conduct of corruption risk assessments in relation to any person or public institution that creates corruption bottlenecks for their investments, especially in the areas of property acquisition and business partnerships.

The commission chairman noted that given the government’s zero-tolerance for corruption, this was the best time for members of NIDO to complement the Federal Government’s job creation effort by investing in cottage industries in their home communities.

He reiterated the position by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun that even  if we successfully prosecute and jail every looter, ghost worker and other economic saboteur, there is every risk that those caught will only be replaced by persons who are just as bad, or worse – unless we radically strengthen our systems and institutions.

The MoU was signed on behalf of NIDO Germany by her President, Kenneth Gbandi, who had also served as the African Representative on the Hamburg Senate Integration Advisory Council from 2011 to 2015.

The ICPC chairman later inducted all participants at the NIDO convention in Germany as members of the National Anti-corruption Volunteers Corps (NAVC) of ICPC and decorated them with special arm bands.