By Peace Udugba -The Daily Torch Media
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged heads of tertiary institutions across the country to strengthen internal controls, address corruption risks and ensure that interventions by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) deliver value for money.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, gave the charge while declaring open a two-day Organisational Integrity Management Capacity-Building Programme for officials of TETFund beneficiary institutions in Abuja.
The programme was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training and research arm of ICPC, with support from TETFund.
Dr Aliyu warned that weak procurement practices, inadequate project supervision, ineffective internal controls, conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement could undermine investments in the tertiary education sector.
He stressed that funding could only achieve its intended objectives when beneficiary institutions demonstrated transparency and accountability in managing public resources.
“Integrity must not exist merely in policy documents or institutional mission statements. It must be reflected in everyday decisions, administrative processes, and the management of public resources,” he said.
The ICPC chairman urged institutional leaders to demonstrate ethical conduct, enforce established procedures and provide safe channels for reporting misconduct without fear of retaliation.
He also called on participating institutions to institutionalise corruption risk assessments, strengthen documentation and segregation of duties, ensure independent project verification and improve their reporting and response mechanisms.
According to him, institutions should identify specific integrity measures, designate responsible officers, establish implementation timelines and develop measurable indicators to monitor progress.
“The success of this initiative should be measured not merely by attendance or participation, but by the improvements introduced in your respective institutions,” he added.
Dr Aliyu reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to preventing corruption through System Study and Review, Corruption Risk Assessment, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard and capacity-building programmes facilitated by ACAN.
In his remarks, the Provost of ACAN, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said integrity in tertiary education should extend beyond institutional leadership to academic staff, non-academic personnel and students.
He identified honesty, accountability and fairness as essential values for building trust and sustaining ethical standards in educational institutions.
Professor Ibrahim urged tertiary institutions to collaborate with ICPC in strengthening integrity management and tackling administrative corruption, embezzlement, examination misconduct, the monetisation of marks, sexual harassment and the existence of ghost workers.
He also commended TETFund for supporting the programme, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen governance and accountability in the education sector.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, PhD, represented by the Director of Human Resources and General Administration, Dr Kolapo Okunlola, said funding alone could not guarantee meaningful results without accountable leadership, effective implementation and strict adherence to established standards.
He urged institutional leaders to comply with procurement laws, financial regulations and TETFund guidelines, take responsibility for project outcomes and protect individuals who report misconduct.
Echono reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to transparency and accountability, urging participants to identify institutional vulnerabilities and apply the lessons from the programme in their respective institutions.
He emphasised that the impact of TETFund interventions should be measured not only by the funds released but also by the integrity with which they are managed and the improvements they deliver in educational infrastructure, research and learning.
Tags: ICPC, TETFund, tertiary institutions, corruption prevention, education funding, accountability, Musa Adamu Aliyu, ACAN.
