The Nigerian government has deliberately crippled its anti-corruption agencies with policies and practices that encourage graft within its ranks, especially as it relates to auditing its agencies, says anti-corruption advocates.

They have now tasked the government to dismantle the obvious criminal enterprise of corrupt individuals and their accomplices within the corridors of power.

Prof Tawfic Ladam, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, who noted the challenges working against the corruption fight in Nigeria, insisted that the government must strengthen its constitutional anti-corruption institutions, including the code of conduct bureau and tribunal as well as the auditor general’s office.

Prof Ladan made the call at a post-International Anti-Corruption Conference, IACC engagement convened by the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, CeFTIW to examine lessons learned and seek domestication of proffered solutions.

He noted that the anti-corruption institutions need to have their capacities strengthened in terms of operations and financial independence.

He said, ‘‘The institutions are being undermined by policies that allow graft to infiltrate. Imagine a situation where auditors who are supposed to examine the books of an agency are catered for by the agencies they audit. What do you think will be the result of the audit? You cannot send auditors to MDAs for auditing without giving them the financial backing to do their job, such that they can protect themselves against any undue influence from the MDAs.

He also tasked the government to improve the capacity of citizens to participate in governance as provided for in section 14, subsection 2, paragraph C of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘‘He said, what government needs to do is to ensure that the law is translated into actual practice for the fight against corruption. Citizens’ participation in governance is another way of checking corruption. It is the collective responsibility of all citizens to partake in the fight against corruption.

However, Umar Yakubu, the Executive Director at the Centre, noted that Nigeria’s problem is the inability to effectively implement already existing laws targeting corruption, stressing that Nigeria does not have a problem with laws or institutions but with implementation.

‘‘What we have done as CSOs is to develop a mechanism for monitoring the implementation of all the anti-corruption instruments and anti-graft commitments in the country to ensure that the government is implementing all its policies.

Yakubu also advocated citizens’ involvement in monitoring projects to curb corruption, saying the West only performs better than Africa because of the high citizen engagement, where they demand accountability.

‘‘When citizens demand accountability, the government, whether executive, judiciary or legislature, becomes more responsible. Citizens trigger government responsibility.’’

Meanwhile, Nkemdilim Okereke, a cohort member at the IACC conference, noted that a prominent point raised as a solution to corruption in Africa is ensuring that political candidates are thoroughly investigated before the election to certify their integrity to hold the commonwealth of the people in trust.

She explained that ”due to propaganda, verifiable information about candidates must be used to weed out unqualified or corrupt candidates from holding public offices”.

Some of the other solutions raised include ”using human rights tools in corruption watch, eradicating formidable adversaries in the corridors of power and fighting corruption in the management of national resources.

Nigerian government deliberately crippling anti-corruption policies – Don, CSO