The Chairman of ACTU, Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, Dr Joseph Idu, has said that the 2023 Ethics and Compliance Score Evaluation rated FTHL at 55%, thereby coming first among federal institutions within Kogi State and second among federal institutions within Kogi and Kwara, under the Kogi/Kwara Zonal Command of the ICPC.

He made this known at a one-day workshop organised by the Anti-Corruption & Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

“This score is an improvement from the year 2022, when FTHL had 17%.

“This improvement couldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of the Management and the resolve of members of ACTU to see that the institution performs its duties and responsibilities to the public and maintains the highest standard of accountability in all regards,” Idu said

The ACTU chairman enjoined the participants to do a self-assessment during and after the workshop and make the necessary corrections and adjustments in their various departments and units by doing the right things.

According to him, the self-assessment will enable the participants to desist from any practice that falls within the ambit of corrupt practice so as to have an institution that would not only be a standard for others within the region but also for the country and the world at large.

He urged them not to relent in the fight against corruption, as the slogan is “If you see something, say something,” and that the fight against corruption remained a collective fight.

He thanked the CMD, members of the TMC, the ICPC resource persons, and members of ACTU for their cooperation and dedication to the fight against corruption within the hospital.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, Dr Olatunde Alabi, said in his speech that corruption and corrupt practices, if not curtailed, are capable of drowning everybody in society.

The workshop is aimed at sensitising the staff and management of the health institution on combating corruption and corrupt practices.

In his opening remarks, Dr Alabi described the theme of the event as “a soul-searching topic,”  noting that corruption and corrupt practices, if not curtailed, are capable of drowning everybody in society.

His words, “It is not only financial misdoings that qualify as corrupt practices; accepting or soliciting gratification and coming late to work qualify as corrupt practices,”.

The CMD commended the members of the ICPC present and enjoined the heads and senior staff of the clinical department and units, the head and senior staff of the works’ department, and the units to take every section of the workshop to heart.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the resource persons led by ACS Manniru Muhammed from ICPC to expound on what corruption is and corrupt practices present within the health institutions and how to fight those practices in order to have a corrupt free institution.

During the workshop, the resource persons highlighted some forms of corruption, including absenteeism, false claims for reimbursement, procurement fraud, bribery to obtain certificates, diversion of patients to private hospitals, mismanagement of resources, and theft of supplies.

The participants were therefore advised to desist from engaging in all sorts of corruption and corrupt practices if they had ever done so.

Other dignitaries at the workshop include: the ACTU Secretary, Olachi Anyiegbu; Compliance Officer, Suleiman Danjuma of ACTU from the National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA); and the ACTU Chairman from the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Ondo State, Mr. Zachi Abraham, among others.