The Independent Corrupt Practices Commissions (ICPC) Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has reiterated his view that “stealing is not corruption.”
Speaking to a team of The Nation on Sunday in Lagos at the weekend, Nta explained that his commission would fare better if there was a proper understanding of the word corruption.
According to him, the controversy emanating from the definition of corruption is as a result of a long entrenched misunderstanding of the vice.
“If you don’t know what you are fighting then you might be busy fighting other things and thinking you are addressing the problem,” he stated.
The ICPC chairman, who has been criticised in the media for saying “stealing is not corruption”, stated that from the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (ONCAC) and the ICPC Act, the first item that falls under corrupt practices is bribery in public and private offices.
He backed up his views with Articles 15 and 16 of UNCAC and sections 8, 9 and 10 of the ICPC Act.
He listed what is considered as corruption under Article 19 of UNCAC and Section 19 of the ICPC Act as: illicit enrichment, trading in influence etc.
Explaining what he calls constitutes corruption, the ICPC chairman said: “If I walk into your office and I say that I have been sent by the president that this contact you are about to award must be awarded to me and now drop his card or the president’s card on the table. This is also an offence under corrupt practice.”
Nta reiterated that the major function of the ICPC is to check abuse of office by public office holders and government officials.
Stealing, he said, falls under the criminal code and should be reported to the police.
He added that Nigeria cannot operate in isolation of the international definition of what constitutes corruption.
Nta argued that if the Commission spends all its time chasing cases of stealing, it will be will be embarking on a futile operation and failing in its primary duties.
Source: The Nation
