By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Tuesday inaugurated a national anti-corruption strategy (NACS) ministerial committee to check the widespread corruption in both the public and private sectors in the country.
Speaking during the inauguration in Abuja, Fagbemi said the committee is expected to provide a framework that will significantly reduce incidents of corruption in all its ramifications in the country.
The action plan of the committee is premised on five pillars: Prevention of corruption, public engagement, campaign for ethical reorientation, enforcement and sanction, as well as recovery and management of proceeds of crime.
The committee is headed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, with Finance Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Information, Women Affairs and Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy as members.
Other members of the high-powered are the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial crimes and Representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation not below the rank of Permanent Secretary as members.
Fagbemi told the members that they were picked to drive measures that will significantly reduce incidents of corruption in all its ramifications in the country while noting with regret that corruption has made it difficult to attain the country’s National Development Goals.
Fagbemi explained that it was in a bid to curb the menace that the Ministerial Committee was established in line with the government’s determination to galvanise stakeholders to tackle corruption through the operationalisation of the action plan.
According to him, the move was also part of efforts to ensure implementation of Nigeria’s international obligations, particularly the ECOWAS Protocol on the fight against corruption, which Nigeria signed in 2001, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) signed in 2003, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) signed in October 2003.
The AGF said the international instruments are aimed at tackling the growing incidence of corruption globally, and Nigeria has taken steps to implement recommendations contained therein.
“In an effort to develop a homegrown anti-corruption strategy, the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) at its retreat in 2009 signed a statement of commitment to develop a National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) that will identify the root causes of corruption and effectively combat corruption.
“Sequel to this commitment by the Federal Government, the Federal Executive Council, at its 25th meeting in July 2017, approved the adoption of the NACS and directed the then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to come up with a robust implementation plan for the NACS 2017-2021.
“The NACS Action Plan was developed, validated, and adopted by relevant stakeholders on the 26th March 2018.
“At the expiration of the NACS 2017-2021, in November 2022, FEC considered and approved the extension of its implementation for another period of four years, i.e NACS 2022-2026.
“Further this approval, stakeholders, including the NACS Secretariat under my office, the Inter-Agency Task Team, as well as relevant MDAs, law enforcement, and regulatory agencies, with the support of our donor partners, such as International IDEA, carried out a series of consultations and engagements on the review of the NACS and its Action Plan.
“I am glad to inform you that the NACS Action Plan 2022–2026 was validated by critical stakeholders on 26th July 2024.
“NACS is in tandem with the anti-corruption stance of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which aims at eradicating corruption, whilst strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of various anti-corruption agencies.”
The AGF then charged members of the Committee to give their full support and commitment to the responsibilities arising from their nomination, adding that, “We must contribute our quota at institutionalizing accountability and transparency to ensure access to equitable opportunities for all citizens.”