By George Ozalla
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive governance by pledging stronger collaboration with the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) in the fight against corruption.
Speaking at the NNAD National Convention in Abuja on Wednesday, the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN—represented by the Commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Demola Bakare, fsi—commended the association for championing the rights of the deaf community and their families to access services across all aspects of life.
Aliyu noted that the association’s values aligned with ICPC’s mandate of ensuring all Nigerians benefit from government services, regardless of class, status, or physical ability.
“Part of our mandate at ICPC is to ensure that all Nigerians have access to government services. Each year, we monitor public projects to ensure they are delivered on time and according to specifications, so that no citizen is denied their rights,” he said.
He assured members of NNAD of ICPC’s readiness to safeguard their rights, urging the association to adopt sign language in spreading anti-corruption messages within their communities.
“As we know, one of the greatest challenges to our rights is corruption. ICPC is doing its best to fight it, but it cannot do it alone. That is why we take the anti-corruption message everywhere we go,” he stressed.
The ICPC Chairman also referenced the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP), introduced by the Commission and approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2020, as a framework for promoting inclusivity. He highlighted two of its core values—Human Dignity, and Voice & Participation—as especially relevant to NNAD’s mission of strengthening inclusive education and advancing communication accessibility.
In his welcome address, the National President of NNAD, Hon. Haruna Muhammad Tsafe, reiterated the association’s commitment to reducing communication barriers and promoting equal rights for the deaf community. He called on stakeholders to push for wider adoption of Nigerian Sign Language.
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, praised NNAD’s resilience, insisting that deaf persons deserve equal opportunities in society. He pledged support for stronger institutional frameworks to guarantee that persons with disabilities benefit from government interventions.
The event underscored ICPC’s strategy of broad-based collaboration in its anti-corruption campaign, while reinforcing the call for inclusivity and equal rights for all Nigerians.
