By Naomi Sharang
Abuja – Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the newly appointed Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has pledged to live above aboard in the discharge of his responsibilities.He made the pledge during his interaction with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.Owasanoye, who is the fourth chairman of ICPC, was sworn-in by President Muhammadu Buhari on Feb. 4.Until his appointment by the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Aug. 2, 2017, Owasanoye was the Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.
He replaced Mr Ekpo Nta, who was redeployed to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.He said that the chairman and board members of ICPC would not push past their limits, but would live above board.“We won’t be the ones frustrating the efforts of the commission.“We will provide leadership. We will work within the confines of the law.“We will not be ambiguous in our statements and we will be an example to the staff members of the commission.“We will also work with integrity, absolutely,” Owasanoye said.He added that as chairman of ICPC, he would ensure that staff members were motivated.According to him, a mechanism is already put in place to achieve that.
On divulging information to the public, the chairman said that a provision in the ICPC Act prohibited discussion on issues being investigated.“We are only allowed to make a public statements when we have done an arrest and have charged someone to court.“Sometimes some of our investigations are jeopardised when you expose them on the pages of newspapers.“I appreciate it that the media have a right to know and so every now and then we will let you know measure and steps we are taking.“But in terms of specific things about who, what – until we formally arrest the person, charge them to court, we will not put a name to what we are doing,” he said.He further said that coordinating what the new management met on ground was one of the challenges.“The commission has been talking on some cases that in my view, could be easily dealt with by other agencies or by other methods.This, he said, included civil contract issues and land cases.“I do not think we have any business with those issues,” Owasanoye said.
(NAN)