The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has unveiled a service charter to track, monitor and hold the commission accountable in its operations.
Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN) the Chairman of ICPC, who said this at the inauguration of the charter in Abuja, said that it would ensure excellent service delivery to citizens.
Represented by the commission’s Secretary, Mr. Clifford Oparaodu, the chairman said that the charter would place the commission in a vintage position to deliver efficient service.
“The Service Charter outlines 27 services rendered by the commission, ranging from the administrative functions such as general administration, procurement, training, and operational functions.
“The services also include investigation, prosecution, systems study and review, public enlightenment and education.
“The charter also lists seven performance targets and timelines for some of the administrative functions such as acknowledgement of petitions and response to communications,” he said.
Aliyu stated further that the charter, however, acknowledged that some of the activities could not be tied to timelines.
The ICPC Chairman listed the services which timelines could not be provided with specific accuracy to include investigation of petitions, prosecution of cases, recovery of looted funds and benefits for petitioners and victims of corrupt activities.
Aliyu pledged the commission’s commitment to undertake, pursue, and deliver such services with utmost commitment.
He explained that “the charter also contains obligations of the different stakeholders including the commission’s “customers”, visitors, contractors as well as staff, management and board of the commission.
“There is the Grievance Redress Mechanism, which outlines the channels for complaining when services are not rendered as they should be.
“The mechanisms include our toll-free number (0800-CALL-1CPC), the phone numbers of the Complaints Desk Officer and the Nodal Officer, email addresses and state offices addresses.”
He urged all the heads of departments and resident Anti-Corruption Commissioners to make information available on these services on request and during their monitoring exercises to assess service delivery.
The Nodal Office, SERVICOM, ICPC, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said that the charter would help the commission achieve its goals.
“It is going to improve our operational services, we now have a template in which we can hold ourselves accountable. If we are not meeting up with the standards we set, we will query ourselves.
“The public should expect a more structured, a more focused ICPC in the way we do things because we now know that the public is aware that we have a service charter.
“When they write to ICPC they are going to get response, not just acknowledgement, within the time stated, which is 14 days, this is the standards and it can be reviewed.
“It is also to assure the public that the ICPC is listening and will serve them better,” she said.
The National Orientation Agency’s (NOA) Nodal Officer, Mr. Obinna Nwosu, in his remarks, lauded the commission for developing the charter.
He said that the charter showed that the commission prioritized quality service and stakeholders’ satisfaction as a responsive and responsible public service.
“It is instructive to note that, as service providers, our stakeholders expect much from us… and when we match their expectations with quality service, we gain their trust.
“At NOA, we believe that quality service delivery is a result of positive values, attitudes and behaviours. In fact, it is the bedrock of public trust,” he said.
NAN
