The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has cautioned staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to steer clear of corrupt practices, warning that offenders will face the full weight of the law.
Mrs. Ekere Usiere, ICPC Commissioner for Rivers and Bayelsa offices, gave the warning during the NDDC’s quarterly anti-corruption sensitisation workshop in Port Harcourt. She emphasised the commission’s critical role in the Niger Delta’s development and the need for regular training to curb unethical behaviour.
“NDDC staff must distance themselves from corruption, as anybody caught will be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Usiere stated, adding that the workshop—titled “Infractions/Offences in Anti-Graft Laws; Preventive Measures”—was aimed at preventing misconduct.
Dr. Evans Peters, ICPC Head of Legal in Rivers, urged the NDDC to strengthen its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit and continually review processes prone to abuse. He reminded staff that offences such as inflating contracts, awarding contracts without budgetary provision, obstructing investigations, or giving false statements would attract prosecution.
“Every public servant should take the ICPC Act as a Bible and internalise its tenets,” Peters said, warning that illicit earnings could be seized by the government and offenders jailed.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, represented by Dr. James Fole, stressed that the workshop was part of broader efforts to entrench ethics and transparency in the commission. “We want our staff to work with diligence and uprightness while carrying out their duties,” he said.
What you should know
The ICPC has warned NDDC employees that any form of corruption—ranging from contract inflation to obstructing investigations—will be prosecuted.
Staff were urged to uphold transparency, with management pledging zero tolerance for unethical practices.
