Pursuant to Section 6(b-d) of its mandate, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has inaugurated the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTU) of the Customary Court of Appeal in Abuja.
During the inauguration and induction exercise, ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, who was represented by Mr. Justin Kuatsea of the Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Department (CMED), stated that ACTU was initiated by ICPC to carry out the Commission’s preventive mandate in order to restore the values of integrity, transparency and accountability to the nation’s public service.
The inductees were urged to practise integrity; embrace honesty and transparency; and educate others on and against the ills of corruption because ‘ACTU’s were the eyes and ears of ICPC.’
Furthermore, the management of the court was called upon to cooperate with the newly-inaugurated ACTU in the discharge of their duties.
Earlier, in his remarks, the Chief Registrar of the court, Mr. Usman Abbas, had noted that the establishment of ACTU was in the interest of all, including the management, and that it would serve as a watchdog for the establishment. He therefore promised to support the unit for it to succeed.
ACTU was initiated following directives of the Head of Service of the Federation via circular, Ref No: OHCSF/MSO/192/94 dated 2nd October 2001.
ACTU serves as one of the implementation mechanisms for the corruption prohibition and prevention functions of ICPC; and derives its powers from Sections 7(1) and 70 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.