Integrity Icon is a global campaign run by citizens in search of honest government officials. It aims to generate debates around the idea of integrity and demonstrate the importance of honesty and personal responsibility. The Lab hopes to inspire a new generation of public servants who are more effective.
Corruption in the Nigerian public service has led to gross inefficiencies across all sectors of our economy and reduced public trust in the system. The media’s role in amplifying the presence of corrupt public officials often overshadows the roles played by honest public officials and presents a near hopeless view of the Nigerian public service. It also discourages many Nigerians from doing the right thing.
Integrity Icon aims to amplify the stories and voices of honest government officials through the media so as to rewrite the common narrative that the civil service is corrupt. The five finalists for the 2019 Integrity Icon campaign are: Kacheilom Betram-Roberts Ndukwe, CSP. Francis Erhabor, Tina Odinakachi Iirmdu, Christian Ngozi Ahiauzu and Tani Ali Nimlan
Sam Emenogu, Programme Officer at Accountability Lab Nigeria said: “This event presents an opportunity to let Nigerians know that there are still persons of integrity in the Nigerian civil service. The campaign also seeks to drive conversations between the media, civil society organizations (CSOs), the government and citizens about integrity in the workplace.”
Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Friday Odeh, told attendees at the event that people needed civil service heroes to look up to. “We need people to stand up and take action.
We just need people to stand up and do the right thing. We know the society we’re in and for you to stand for integrity it takes a lot and you need to be brave. The work we do is always in partnership and collaboration with government agencies, civil society organizations, and citizens because national development requires all stakeholders to commit to building a nation we are all proud to live in,” he said.
The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Carl-Michael Grans said during his opening remarks: “What you do as an Integrity Icon is really crucial for a successful government in any country. Spreading democracy is a top priority for the Swedish government; promoting accountability, transparency and fighting corruption is really key for democratic development.” He also said that the media have a central part to play in the push for democracy.
The Integrity Icon campaign is currently in its third year, having launched in 2017. So far, the campaign has identified a total of fifteen Integrity Icons across the Nigerian civil service who are shining examples of what it means to be an upright public official. The campaign seeks to foster collaboration with the media in telling the stories of these icons in order to reimagine the civil service. These icons remind us that there are many dedicated officials who do not see the public service as an avenue for enriching themselves with public funds. The Integrity Icon Nigeria summit and Awards Ceremony is slated for January 20th and 21st, 2020. These events will officially mark the celebration of the 2019 Integrity Icons and their amazing work. Lastly, nominations are already open for the 2020 Integrity Icon campaign and these can be made via https://cutt.ly/iin2020. Nominations close on March 30th, 2020.
For queries, contact Prince Chimaroke Chukwuka onprince@accountabilitylab.org.
[…] recently the campaign got an endorsement from the Embassy of Sweden to Nigeria, in an event titled “Meet the Icons”. Sweden, which ranked sixth in a 2017 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, knows […]
[…] We need more support for campaigns such as Integrity Icon, a program of Accountability Lab which identifies honest and outstanding Government officials and celebrates them, exposing their efforts to the world and instilling hope in the system. Most recently the campaign got an endorsement from the Embassy of Sweden to Nigeria, in an event titled “Meet the Icons”. […]