The Abia State Government has inaugurated the State Strategy for Integrity, Accountability and Anti-Corruption Steering Committee, directing members to immediately begin implementing the state's anti-corruption framework.

The committee was inaugurated on Wednesday in Umuahia by the Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere, who said the initiative reflects the government's commitment to entrenching integrity and accountability across the public service.

Ojeikere explained that members of the committee were carefully selected based on their strategic roles and capacity to effectively drive the state's anti-corruption agenda.

According to him, the committee, made up largely of permanent secretaries and other senior government officials, will provide policy direction, monitor implementation, address emerging challenges, and ensure the successful execution of the State Strategy for Integrity, Accountability and Anti-Corruption.

He urged members to carry out their responsibilities with dedication, professionalism, and a strong sense of duty, noting that the success of the initiative would boost public confidence in government institutions.

“The success of this initiative will strengthen public confidence in government institutions, improve service delivery and further promote transparency in governance,” he said.

Ojeikere expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to advance integrity and accountability in the state, adding that the inauguration marked another step toward deepening transparency, accountability, and good governance in Abia.

Also speaking, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN), represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Paul Ogubunka, described corruption as one of the major challenges facing the public service.

He stressed that the vision of building a prosperous and accountable Abia State could only be achieved by placing integrity at the centre of governance.

“If we are to take the issue of corruption seriously and build the Abia of our dreams as envisioned by Governor Alex Otti, then we must lay a strong foundation of integrity. You cannot build a skyscraper on a weak foundation, and integrity remains the cornerstone of everything this initiative stands for,” he said.

Ogubunka disclosed that the validation exercise for the strategy had been completed, paving the way for the committee's inauguration and the commencement of implementation.

“We have completed the validation exercise, which paved the way for what we are doing today. Moving forward, I encourage all of us to engage effectively in this process so that we can set a new standard for accountability and transparency in Abia State,” he added.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the State Programme Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, Mr. Peter Omenka, described the newly inaugurated committee as the “policy compass for integrity and accountability” in Abia State.

Omenka explained that the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

He noted that the programme focuses on strengthening the rule of law, improving access to justice for women, children, and persons with disabilities, while promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions.

According to him, Abia is among the latest states to benefit from the programme, emphasizing that the committee's oversight role is crucial to ensuring the successful implementation of the state's anti-corruption strategy.

“Without strong oversight, Abia’s anti-corruption agenda remains a document; it has no life. With your leadership, it becomes action,” Omenka said.