The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta, has advised newly-inaugurated ACTU members of the State House, Abuja, to be responsible in discharging their ACTU duties.
Mr. Nta, who was represented by Mr. Justin Kuatsea of the Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Department (CMED), made the statement during the inauguration of the new members of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the State House in Abuja.
He solicited the cooperation of all Nigerians in the anti-corruption campaign. Mr. Nta said, “ the task of making public systems corruption-free and efficient requires sincere commitment and diligence from all citizens, especially public servants who occupy sensitive positions in public institutions.”
The ICPC Chairman noted that the State House had already keyed into the initiative of a corruption-free system through the deployment of ACTU to serve as a corruption-prevention and monitoring mechanism.
He told the newly-inaugurated ACTU members to brace up for the task ahead, saying that the job before them was enormous and required them to be prepared to give their best in terms of individual sacrifice, sincerity and dedication to the cause of anti-corruption.
Mr. Nta further stated that the State House ACTU which hosts the key drivers of the anti-corruption philosophy of the present administration will continue to undertake the functions of the Commission as stated in Section 6 (a-f) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, except in prosecuting cases of offenders.
Nta also added that “The fight against corruption would be more effective when the cooperation and involvement of our numerous stakeholders are secured.”
In his remarks at the event, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal A. Arabi, represented by the Director of Administration, Muhammad Abubakar, said the inauguration of the members was a continuation of the existing ACTU in the State House.
Mr. Arabi also noted that the State House ACTU had gone a long way in mobilizing and sensitizing staff on the ills of corruption, which is geared towards a corruption-free State House, the civil service and the nation in general.
He therefore advised civil servants especially those working in the State House to aspire to be corruption-free in line with the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The Permanent Secretary further affirmed his support for the ACTU to carry out their duties with assurance of non-interference from management, even as he charged the new members to ensure that they justify the confidence reposed in them by ICPC and the State House.