Conduct Tribunal receives UNODC interventions materials

Abuja (Code of Conduct Tribunal Report) – The Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja has recently received delivery of some intervention materials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in support of the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
 
While receiving the equipments, the Chairman, who was represented by the Chief Registrar of the Tribunal, Bello Kawu said that the intervention is the first of its kind since the inception of the Tribunal. “This day is a memorable one, since inception of the Tribunal in 1989. This is the first time we are witnessing a fruitful and feasible partnership and collaboration in the pursuit of the primary mandate of the Tribunal,” he stated.
 
The Chairman described the intervention as part of the European Union (EU) funded project – “Support to Anti-Corruption in Nigeria” which is being implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The equipment was identified to include: a one double cabin Toyota Hilux vehicle, Information Technology infrastructure comprising five desktops and five laptops as well as  Electronic Law (E-Law) library which were purposed to assist the Tribunal’s registry to access the legal database with over 20,000 judgments, spanning over forty three years.
 
According to the Chairman, the mandate is in consonance with the present on-going fight against corruption which is destroying the Nigerian society. He further branded corruption as a key element inhibiting economic growth and social advancement in Nigeria, through its negative impacts on the inflow of investments into the economy, high cost of doing business and erosion of public confidence in the social system.
 
The Chairman thanked UNODC for the gesture and promised to judiciously utilize the equipments for the purpose it is meant for. He also assured them of sustained maintenance of the equipments to further achieve more interface with UNODC, for the Tribunal to maximally implement its mandate of adjudication.
 
In his response to the Chairman’s address, the Head of the Political Governance and Democracy Section of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Allen Mound congratulated the Code of Conduct Tribunal and UNODC for successfully implementing the project towards enhancing the capacity of Tribunal to support the anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
 
Allen Mound also stated that corruption without any doubt is the major obstacle facing Nigeria presently as it impedes the socio-economic development of the country and diverts the much needed resources meant for the people for their lots. He declared that the European Union is pleased with the Government of Nigeria for acknowledging the negative impact of corruption by creating institutions to fight the deadly monster.
 
He also said that the EU recognizes the typical role which anti-corruption agencies have played in the fight against corruption in the country. Adding, in realisation of this, the European Union is willing to support Nigeria with 35million Euros to further assist it in that direction. He charged the Code of Conduct Tribunal to maximally utilize the materials provided to it in the bid to fight corruption in all of its upshots.