Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Apex News Exclusive partner in fight against corruption

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Apex Exclusive Editor-in-Chief, Mr Anthony Maliki, third from left, receives some incisive publications from ACAN Provost, Professor Olatunde Babawale

By Samuel Torlumun

The Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, (ACAN) and a leading online and print media organization in the country, Apex News Exclusive, (ANE) have agreed to pull their expertise together to fight the endemic corruption in Nigeria.
The understanding was reached on Wednesday when leadership of ANE paid a courtesy visit to the anti-corruption institution based in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
ANE is the first media organization that will pay such visit to the Nigeria’s trail brazing anti-corruption academy.
Speaking during the visit, Provost of ACAN, Professor Olatunde Babawale stated that media has a significant role to play in bringing to public knowledge the activities of the academy.
He explained that, as an arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), ACAN’s main focus is training and research.
“We train people, most especially in the public sector, Ministry, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs). Within the context of organizing trainings and conducting research, which helps the ICPC in discharging preventive and enforcing anti-corruption functions. On annual bases, we organize policy dialogue on topical issues that has to do with solving the problems of corruption. Out of this, a policy will always emerge. And out of such dialogue we make recommendations to the government. We also produce policy that is also forwarded to the government for appropriate action,” he narrated.

Prof. Babawale, who took visiting journalists into the clue of what ACAN is doing in that regard said, while last year’s dialogue was titled ‘Entrenching Transparency in Recruitment in the Public Service’, this year will be on ‘Corruption and the Challenges of Insecurity in Nigeria’. 
But, that’s not all the academy does. It publishes research journal called “Journal of Anti-Corruption Studies.” This is apart from the occasional publications which is distributed to government agencies and other sectors.
He maintained that for ACAN as an ICPC organ to fulfil an all-important mandate of public enlightenment, has to be known better, adding that partnership with Apex News Exclusive will be a great facilitation.
He pointed out: “that mandate of public enlightenment is very important to us. Let the public know about the evils of corruption, how it affects are daily existence and what each and every individual needs to do to bring it under control.”

The Provost availed that whatever Apex News Exclusive is bringing on the table to ensure the discharge of the public enlightenment function of ACAN is welcome.
Prof. Babawale further explained that it was in the bid to ensure public enlightenment function that ACAN last year organized a three-day media workshop for practitioners, where journalists from print, electronics and online were trained on how to report corruption. He said the academy is willing to do more. 
“It is the only way we can make our people feel our impact the more. And will also give us feedbacks on whether we are achieving our objectives, or whether people are feeling the impact of the agency; and whether what we are doing is right or wrong and how we can do better than what we are doing now. These are the reason I said the media is important in this task. I want to welcome you, and say that we are happy with your visit”, he stated.
Earlier in his presentation, Editor-in Chief, Apex News Exclusive, Anthony Maliki, said as a critical organ of the fight against corruption in Nigeria, ACAN is doing well and needs to be joined in the course of making Nigeria better.
As a media organization, Maliki said Apex News Exclusive is willing to partner with serious organs of government to further propagate their mandates.
The visit was attended by top management of staff of ACAN and management team of Apex News Exclusive including Gabriel Agbonika, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Samuel Torlumun, Editor and Francis Nansak, Editor, Special Projects.