Enugu, Nigeria – Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to transparency and anti-corruption measures during a meeting with the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Adamu Aliyu, SAN.
The encounter took place at the Government House in Enugu on Tuesday, where Dr Aliyu attended a roundtable discussion with Attorneys General from Nigeria’s South East region. In a detailed post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Governor Mbah described the discussions as aligning closely with his government’s core principles of transparency, accountability, and traceability.
“In Enugu, we have zero tolerance for corruption,” Mbah stated in his post. “We have built systems that are above self and stronger than any individual. No one collects revenue for the government in cash. Whether it is ₦100 or ₦200,000, all payments are made through a digital e-payment platform.”
Highlighting early actions in his tenure, the Governor noted that just two hours after taking his oath of office, he signed Executive Order 001 on the Citizens’ Charter. This directive, he explained, obliges him to provide regular accounts to the people of Enugu, forming the bedrock of his administration’s governance approach.
The Governor further outlined ongoing initiatives to foster public engagement, including regular consultative town hall meetings with citizens and stakeholder groups. These sessions allow the government to present its scorecard and gather feedback, aiming to cultivate a culture of openness, participation, and trust.
Governor Mbah also tied these efforts to his ambitious economic goals for the state. “Our mission to grow the Enugu economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion in eight years will not happen without private investment,” he wrote. “But investors don’t follow mission statements; they follow the rule of law, transparency, and the ease of doing business. That is the Enugu we are building.”
Welcoming potential collaboration with the ICPC, Mbah expressed enthusiasm for the commission’s willingness to partner in bolstering Enugu’s anti-corruption frameworks and promoting institutionalised good governance.
The ICPC, established in 2000, plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s fight against corruption, investigating and prosecuting cases while promoting ethical standards across public and private sectors. This visit underscores ongoing federal-state cooperation in addressing graft, a persistent challenge in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Enugu State, under Mbah’s leadership since May 2023, has prioritised digital reforms and economic expansion, with a focus on sectors such as agriculture, technology, and infrastructure to attract investment.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with corruption perceptions – ranking 145th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index – initiatives like those in Enugu offer a model for subnational efforts to enhance accountability.
