NITDA pledges to support FG’s change campaign with ICT tools

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has pledged to support the “Change Begins with Me’’ campaign with corruption-eliminating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools.

The pledge was made by NITDA’s Acting Director-General, Dr Vincent Olatunji, at a two-day sensitisation workshop for management staff of the agency.

A statement issued by Mrs Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Head of Corporate Affairs Department, quoted Olatunji as saying that “NITDA as an Information Technology (IT) agency will look inward for ICT tools that can be used to help prevent or better still eliminate corrupt practices in the country.’’

“Any ICT tool we deploy in curbing corruption in the agency will be handed down to government, because ICT is an effective tool that can be used in the fight against corruption.

“The agency has keyed into the directive from Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to establish an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to prevent corrupt practices.

“We have established ACTU unit to eliminate all traces of corruption in NITDA because we believe that corruption has brought the nation to where it is today,’’Olatunji was further quoted as saying.

Similarly, the ICPC Chairman, Mr Ekpo Nta, who was represented at the forum by Mr Hakeem Lawal, said there was need for urgent intervention in curbing corruption, especially in the public service.

“Any corrupt act being carried out by public sector officials has negative impact on governance; it truncates the procedure most of the time and brings about leakage in the system.

“The outcome of corruption affects everybody, we need to set machineries in motion to strategically prevent corruption in all spheres of our activities,’’ Nta said.

The ICPC chairman stressed that the ACTU was established to stop tendencies that could escalate corruption and reduce unethical practices by 60 per cent.

He commended NITDA and the ACTU NITDA for organising the workshop for its staff.

Similarly, the NITDA/ACTU Chairman, Mr Sarafa Lawal, thanked the management staff for turning up for the training while urging them to ensure that the objective of the training was met.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari recently launched the “Change Begins with Me’’ campaign in Abuja.

The campaign seeks the support of every Nigerian in eliminating indiscipline in every sphere of life.