The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has inaugurated a 12-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) within the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
This was officially launched at the FIRS headquarters in Abuja where it was mandated to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and unethical practices within the revenue agency.
The FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Koleosho, emphasized the critical role of the new unit in upholding the agency’s values. He charged the members of the ACTU to lead by example, emphasising the importance of integrity in their responsibilities.
He said, “The easy part of being a He member of the FIRS anti-corruption unit has just been done. The real work starts now,”
He further noted that the public and FIRS staff should witness the integrity that the unit members bring to their duties.
In his remarks, the Coordinating Director of the Support Services Group, Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, assured continuous support for the unit from the FIRS.
He urged the inductees to embody honesty and integrity, setting a standard for others to follow.
ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, represented by Mr. Olusegun Adigun, Director of System Study and Review, reinforced the commission’s support for the ACTU.
He outlined the unit’s mandate, which includes sensitizing staff on corruption, examining systems vulnerable to malpractice, developing and enforcing ethical codes, monitoring budget implementation, and initiating preliminary investigations into complaints.
He said, “The ACTU is not set up as a parallel authority to management but rather to collaborate in building a reputable agency,”
Hajia Sa’adatu Yero, Director of the anti-corruption unit, lauded Adedeji’s dedication to enhancing the unit’s capabilities. She highlighted the ACTU’s achievements, noting its collaboration with agencies like the ICPC, Nigerian Police, and EFCC in mitigating corruption risks within the FIRS.
Yero also revealed that the FIRS ACTU recently scored 79.95% in the 2022 Ethics and Integrity Scorecard survey, ranking it among the top-performing units in the country.
This, she said, was a testament to the FIRS leadership’s commitment to eradicating corruption, with the appointment of a Director to head the unit as a further demonstration of this resolve.
The inauguration of the ACTU is expected to reinforce the FIRS’s efforts to ensure that all its processes are conducted with the highest standards of integrity and transparency.
