Abia Steps Up Fight Against Corruption, Sets Up Oversight Panel

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By Steve Oko
The Abia State Government has intensified efforts to institutionalise transparency and eliminate corruption in the public service with the inauguration of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Committee for the Abia State Strategy on Accountability, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (ABSIAS).

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The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, funded by the European Union.

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The committee is tasked with monitoring the implementation of the state’s anti-corruption strategy, tracking compliance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), validating data and providing evidence-based reports to guide government decisions.

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Inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, the Head of Service, Benson Ojeikere, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Tpl. Ukeje Uche Ukpabi, said the initiative underscored the government’s commitment to building a public service anchored on transparency, integrity and accountability.

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He described the committee as the “watchmen” of the anti-corruption strategy, stressing that no policy could succeed without effective implementation and oversight.

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Ojeikere charged members to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism and impartiality, noting that they were selected based on their integrity and commitment to public service.

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According to him, the committee will monitor progress, identify implementation gaps, ensure compliance with anti-corruption standards and assess the impact of government reforms.

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He added that the initiative would help protect civil and public servants from engaging in practices that could expose them to investigations by anti-graft agencies after leaving office.

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“If public servants faithfully adhere to the principles of accountability and integrity, they will avoid actions that could make them guests of anti-corruption agencies after their service,” he said.

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Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme in Abia State, Dr. Peter Omenka, said the inauguration was aimed at strengthening the implementation framework for the state’s integrity and accountability strategy.

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He said members of the committee would undergo capacity-building to equip them with the skills required to collect and manage evidence for assessing implementation of the reforms.

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According to Omenka, the committee will coordinate resource tracking, validate data and generate evidence-based progress reports for the Steering Committee, which provides oversight for the implementation of the strategy.

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He disclosed that the Steering Committee had earlier been inaugurated in the Office of the Head of Service, while a secretariat had also been established to coordinate implementation across government institutions.

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Omenka further explained that every Ministry, Department and Agency would establish Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) to drive implementation of the strategy at the institutional level.

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He said the European Union-funded programme supports reforms aimed at strengthening criminal justice administration, improving access to justice for women, children and persons with disabilities, and promoting transparency and accountability in governance.

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Earlier, the Lead Consultant to RoLAC, Prof. Ada Chidi, expressed confidence in the successful implementation of the strategy, citing the strong political will demonstrated by the Abia State Government.

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“I am confident because of the calibre of people serving on the committees and the political will demonstrated by the government,” she said.

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Responding to concerns about possible compromise during field monitoring, Chidi explained that the implementation framework contains built-in accountability mechanisms.

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She said committee members would operate in teams and be accountable to one another, while the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units established in each MDA would serve as internal oversight mechanisms to ensure integrity in the monitoring process.

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According to her, the multiple layers of accountability were deliberately designed to safeguard the credibility of the anti-corruption initiative and ensure its sustainability across the state’s public service.

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Members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), civil society organisations and relevant government institutions.

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