The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Chairman Zacch Adedeji, has established a 12-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU).
This initiative, inaugurated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the Revenue House in Abuja on Tuesday, aims to uphold zero tolerance for unethical practices and corruption within the agency.
In his address, delivered by Chief of Staff Mr Tayo Koleosho, Adedeji emphasised the importance of integrity, stating, “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”
He urged the new members of the ACTU to embody the core values of the FIRS, which strongly oppose corruption, and to ensure that their actions reflect transparency and integrity in their roles.
Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman, conveyed Adedeji’s message: “The easy part of being a member of the FIRS anti-corruption unit has just been done. The real work starts now.”
He highlighted that both the staff of FIRS and the public should see the integrity brought to this role as a reflection of the agency’s commitment to ethical practices.
Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, Coordinating Director of the Support Services Group, reiterated the FIRS’s commitment to supporting the ACTU and encouraged the inductees to be exemplars of honesty and integrity.
ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, represented by Mr Olusegun Adigun, Director of System Study and Review, assured that the FIRS ACTU would receive the necessary support to fulfil its mandate.
He outlined the unit’s responsibilities, including periodic staff sensitisation on corruption, system reviews to identify and address corruption vulnerabilities, and the development and enforcement of a code of ethics.
Adigun stressed that the ACTU is intended to work in concert with FIRS management to enhance the agency’s reputation, rather than act as a parallel authority.
He urged the FIRS to provide a supportive environment, including funding and office space, for the unit to thrive.
Hajia Sa’adatu Yero, Director of the ACTU, commended Adedeji for his commitment to strengthening anti-corruption measures.
She outlined the unit’s role in preventing corrupt practices and highlighted its success in collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, including the ICPC, Nigerian Police Force, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yero also noted that the ACTU was rated among the best in the country with a 79.95% score in the 2022 Ethics and Integrity Scorecard survey.
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