Integrity body probes corruption at state agencies

The Integrity Commission has announced plans to investigate corruption in various ministries, state agencies and regional corporations. In a statement, the commission said it “has launched a major co-operative initiative among state corporations and agencies to fight corruption and improve ethical conduct.”

The investigation comes after a conference with the Ministry of Finance, the Auditor General’s Department and the Ministry of Local Government. The commission said abuse of government spending would be a major concern of the initiative. “The commission’s highly qualified and experienced team will conduct investigations to ensure that procedures, practices and the decision-making process are adequate to ensure that public funds are not utilised to secure private interests,” it said.

The commission said it hoped the initiative will “inspire public trust, create a favourable environment and serve the nation’s interest with fairness on a daily basis.” The initiative was first announced by  commission chairman Kenneth Gordon in January.