By
John Aderibigbe, PECB Certified ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System Lead Implementer
Arresting corrupt politicians and private individuals has not yielded enough result. In fact corporal punishment has not totally eradicated crime. Our democracy is founded on falsehood called 1999 constitution which has escaped several attempts to modify. Our culture has wholly supported corrupt leaders and businessmen. The religious systems also embraced frivolous rich men whose source of wealth cannot be proven. We cannot solely depend of EFCC or ICPC. Rather we need a holistic approach that will be all encompassing – religious believe, cultural dispositions, statutory compliance, organisational mandates and business environments.
Steps
Federal Government should:
- Make the Implementation of ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery management systems and anti-corruption management system in every Federal and state ministries, departments and agencies mandatory.
- Make the Implementation of ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery management systems and anti-corruption management system a prerequisite for contract awards from agencies.
- Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) should involve stakeholders like ICAN, EFFCC, ANAN, ICPC and ICMA among others in customising the ISO 37001 Anti-bribery Management System and Anti corruption Management system
- SON, EFFC and ICPC should train their staff to train implementer of this standard in various MDAs.
- SON, EFFC and ICPC should train their staff to train Auditors of this standard in various MDAs.
- SON, EFFC and ICPC should audits all these agencies annually with respect to this standard or allow them be audited by external certification bodies.
How can this standard help Nigeria?
The implementation process of this standard will make the implementing establishments to:
- Communicate regularly the anti-bribery and corruption policies internally and to external stakeholder: this will aid the government anti-corruption drive and publicity to spread faster than it is now as this can help change our orientation as a nation.
- Develop processes, procedures and internal control structure: this will save Nigeria from our existing weak systems in which we have stronger individuals but weak structures and system. It will strengthen our system and weakens the corrupt leaders.
- Separate functions and approval process: a single person approving payment provide easier corruption opportunities. Therefore separating roles will minimise corruption.
- Implement Whistle Blower system: encouraging and providing opportunities for whistle blowers will create fear in the system and make investigation easier as the whistle blower facts will be more reliable than investigation. In fact research had showed more corruption cases are detected through whistle blowing than audit.
- Conduct Training and awareness: this control process will create more experts in various establishments who can implement or audit compliance to this international standard. This will help to control and mitigate corruption within of 2 years.
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Audit: this will regularly check compliance in every MDA and thereby check their strength and weaknesses. This will identify improvement opportunities and enhance continual improvement in every MDA.
Why do we need this in Nigeria?
Nigeria needs to implement this standard at a time like this in our history when corruption is actually the bane of our national growth and development. Instead of other standard, ISO 37001 should be the direction to go. Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) should involve stakeholders like ICAN, EFFCC, ANAN, ICPC and ICMA among others in customising the ISO 37001 Anti-bribery Management System and Anti corruption Management system toward improving the national orientation, growth and development.
For more information/ advise on the benefits or implementation guide contact: 08033746076, john@dutconsulting.com