By Muftau Ogunyemi
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ondo State Office, has called on public servants to navigate ethical dilemma with integrity for the betterment of the country.
Mr Tiku Menge, state Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of ICPC, made the call on Tuesday while sensitising officials of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Akure Branch, at the bank’s premises.
Menge was represented by Mr Jenmi Owolabi, Principal Superintendent, Public Enlightenment and Education (PE&E), at a lecture on the imperative of ethical conduct in public service.
The theme of the lecture was “Understanding Ethics in the Public Service.”
He explained that the sensitisation was to underscore the commission’s tripartite mandate on the enforcement, prevention, and public education, while ethical governance remained pivotal to Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.
The commissioner said that the concept of the sensitisation was to promote accountability, transparency aligned with National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP), and enhance public trust, reduce corruption risks and improve service delivery.
According to him, violation of the section of the ICPC Act 2000 criminalising graft, abuse of office and conflicts of interest attracts severe penalties, including imprisonment.
“So, ethics is not a mere checklist, but a culture where a public servants internalises values like honesty and accountability, so systemic corruption diminishes.
“Meanwhile, an institutions like FMBN, a key driver of Nigeria’s housing finance sector, must prioritise ethics to ensure equitable mortgage access.
“Corruption in public service undermines national development. As facilitators of homeownership, your adherence to ethical codes directly impacts societal welfare,” he added.
In his remarks, Mr Surajudeen Jimoh, FMBN Akure Branch Manager, lauded ICPC for the “timely and transformative” session, and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to ethical standards.
Jimoh pledged to cascade the knowledge to the staff, hence, aligning FMBN’s operations with the code of ethics for public officers and the bank’s statutory mandate of affordable housing delivery.
“This training has reawakened our dedication to integrity.
“We will institutionalise these principles to ensure transparency in mortgage administration and service delivery,” Jimoh said. (NAN)
