Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, on Monday expressed displeasure with the Transparency International global ranking of countries on corruption.

He said Transparency International’s narrative about corruption should be interrogated.

The chairman alluded to TI’s reports for 2022 which was for 2021 session, saying: “We’ve taken enough time to study it in the areas where criticisms were fair and we needed to adjust and the areas where it simply ignored the realities of the anti-corruption efforts from a developing country perspective and of course from the point of view of the international political economy”.

Owasanoye said this in his opening remarks at a capacity training for journalists organised by the Commission in Abuja.

He said: “TI uses strategy to communicate its report, we needed the strategy to response”.

The ICPC Chairman also noted that, “a lot of countries especially developing countries are beginning to interrogate TI's reports as to why the countries that are victims of corruption always rank poorer than the countries that are the recipients of the proceeds of corruption and we do not interrogate why this happens".

He added that

this year TI's release did not have as much grounding or impact, and that it is not a Nigerian phenomenon.

He spoke further, saying: “Of course, we understand very clearly that in the developing countries like Nigeria, we have our challenges and we are not denying that, we are trying to deal with them in accordance with the law and within the local challenges that we face.

“But occasionally when there are prospects to make progress and advance the course there are frustrations that are encountered that are not immediately visible to observers.

“It is therefore time for us to begin to get involved in the narratives at least to present our own side of the story the way it ought to be presented so that there can be a balance of the information exchange and then of course the journalists can make whatever they want to make of it as best as they understand the situation”.

He also spoke on reasons behind the training saying: “The first training that ICPC had was to break this ice and to begin to strategically say look at it from this angle as well and as the director of Public Enlightenment has said, we have seen an improved trajectory of reportage and we are quite sure that this can further improve by more engagement, by more understanding and sharing of information and perspectives with stakeholders such as the Media.

“We intend to build on the success of last year’s training in order to deepen this engagement and to close this gap which I have identified.

He continues,

“One of the things we intend to do with this interaction is to close gaps, you have questions that you would like us to clarify, this offers an opportunity to close those gaps.

“I know that usually what journalists are interested in is to know who is being investigated, what has been found and what is going to happen.

“That’s exactly what we are not able to tell you so that we can have a common understanding. “And I will tell you why we are not able to tell you the way you want it and when you want it. Even though some of those things will depend on the dynamics of the situation they share or be found by you, by your steps, by your skills, by your abilities, we do not begrudge that.

“By our law, we are not supposed to discuss what we are investigating unless we have formally made an arrest or we have charged to court. In any event, once we have charged to court, it’s already in the public because court records are public records. Courts are established to arbitrate disputes and determine and to interpret the law the way they are.

“Besides, it is not accidental that the rules say they sit in public, it is so that they can be accessed by people who want to inform the public like yourselves. But sometimes, journalists do get the opportunity to report preemptively, and it is a double edged sword, it can hurt and it can advance.

“The other issue is about the emerging trend around the fight against corruption, I have mentioned one of those things which is the political economy. Why does it appear as if you are doing motion without movement? You need to understand that in the national context and the international context”.

He said that the most popular and the commonest way to measure corruption activities and impacts is by enforcement, prosecution and having people going to jail adding that “but that is exactly the most tricky point of the whole landscape because those with whom we deal will do anything in order not to be caught or to face music”.

Another reason for this training according to the chairman is to improve the capacity at reportage “so that the information does not become asymmetrical or misleading whereby things ascribed to the commission that we do not have the capacity to do or they are exaggerated on behalf or in favor of the commission, which then heighten public expectation.

“So this engagement will help us to report accurately in ways that do not exaggerate our achievements or under report our achievements. We also believe that this engagement will improve your own knowledge of the sector in various measures by which corruption can be tackled, not just by investigation and prosecution and how this is communicated to secure public support.

“We do recognize the role of the media in raising public awareness, shaping public discourse and opinion and of course contributing to development”.

Owasanoye expressed hope in a robust relationship with the media in the anti-graft fight.

“I want to urge you to use this opportunity to establish a relationship with us, not just a relationship that demands of us that we should tell you when we get a high profile fish that we are investigating but a relationship that helps us to discuss how to deal with the scourge of corruption.

“What are the challenges that we face, what are the challenges that you as journalists who report these things and are also attacked and at risk globally and how they can be mitigated.

“I’m hoping that this interaction will help us to close those gaps and strengthen our mutual collaboration, our commitment as an institution and as an agency remains solid. It is statutory, we can’t negotiate it away, we just have the duty to do what we have to do but we are hoping that we’ll be better able to do it with your support and collaboration”, he stated.

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