The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said it will investigate some Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government for infractions on COVID-19 intervention funds and other procurement abuses.
Chairman of the ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, stated this at the 2022 African Union Anti-Corruption Day.
He said the commission had observed discrepancies and infractions in the procurement and payments made by some ministries and agencies after the disbursement of the COVID-19 fund.
Prof Owasanoye said, “The Commission, he added, also observed that in some instances the distribution of relief materials or palliatives was chaotic, disorderly and uncoordinated.
“The Commission had observed discrepancies and infractions in the procurement and payments made by some ministries and agencies after the released and appropriate disbursement of COVID-19 funds.
“Hoarding and diversion of materials were also common warranting the raids by people in some situations, facilities or locations warehousing palliatives. Some of such also created widespread violence.”
The chairman, citing media reports, also lamented selective distribution, favouritism, nepotism and other biases in the allocation and distribution of palliatives as well as the highjacking of palliatives by political actors, their proxies, cronies, and affiliates.
