ICPC inaugurates anti-corruption clubs in 20 schools in Ibadan

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Friday inaugurated anti-corruption clubs in 20 secondary schools in Ibadan to promote integrity and prevent corruption among young people.

At the inauguration, the ICPC Resident Commissioner for Oyo and Ogun States, Chile Ogwuegbu, said the initiative was designed to instil anti-corruption values in students from an early age.

Ogwuegbu explained that the commission considered prevention of corruption more effective and less costly than investigating and prosecuting corrupt practices after they had occurred.

He advised students against engaging in examination malpractice, particularly the spreading of answers during examinations.

According to him, the establishment of anti-corruption clubs in the 20 schools is part of the commission’s ongoing programme to tackle corruption in Nigeria.

He said ICPC had already established similar clubs in other schools across the country but was now adopting a cluster approach in Oyo State to reach more schools while reducing operational costs.

Ogwuegbu added that the commission’s long-term objective was to establish anti-corruption clubs in secondary schools in all states in Nigeria.

According to him, one of the objectives of the anti-corruption clubs is to educate students on practices they may have previously considered acceptable but which constitute wrongdoing.

The commissioner said some students might wrongly believe that because they study together, they are permitted to assist one another during examinations.

He, however, explained that examinations are assessed on an individual basis, making the sharing of answers or copying during examinations an offence.

“Exams are marked based on an individual basis and not based on a collective basis,” he said.

He urged the students to develop a culture of integrity and understand the consequences of dishonest practices from an early age.

A student from St. Luke’s College, Favour Eze, said the knowledge from the lecture would assist her in pursuing her dream of becoming a criminal lawyer in future.

Also, another student from St. Anne’s School, Oreoluwa Damilola, said she had learnt that engaging in corruption could ruin one’s future and lead to imprisonment.

The newsmen report that some of the schools include: Ibadan Grammar School, Anglican Grammar School, Ori-Aje Community Grammar School, St. Anne’s School, and Government Secondary School.

Others are Wesley College of Science; Olubi Memorial Grammar School; St. David Grammar School; Community Grammar School, Kudeti; Nurudeen Islamiyah School; Yejide Girls Grammar School and St. Luke’s College, among others.