The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has launched its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), a significant step in its fight against corruption within the service’s ranks.
On Tuesday, August 28, 2024, FIRS Chairman, Mr. Zaccheus Adedeji inaugurated a 12-member ACTU at the head office of the FIRS in Abuja.
The unit’s primary goal is to ensure zero tolerance for unethical behaviour and corruption within the agency.
The inauguration was conducted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
At the event, Mr. Adedeji represented by Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Koleosho, emphasised the importance of integrity, quoting the adage, “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”
He urged the newly inducted members to uphold the agency’s core values of integrity and transparency.
Mr. Adedeji, in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Dare Adekanmbi, stressed that the real work for the ACTU begins now. He encouraged the unit members to serve as examples of honesty and integrity, ensuring that both FIRS staff and the public can trust their commitment to this responsibility.
The FIRS Coordinating Director, Support Services Group, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, assured continued support for the ACTU, urging its members to be paragons of integrity within the organisation.
Similarly, ICPC Chairman, Dr. Adamu Aliyu, represented by Director of System Study and Review, Mr. Olusegun Adigun, pledged the commission’s support to help the unit fulfil its mandate.
The ACTU’s responsibilities include sensitising staff about the dangers of corruption, examining and improving processes prone to unethical practices, developing a code of ethics, monitoring budget implementation, and conducting preliminary investigations into complaints.
Director of the FIRS Anti-Corruption Unit, Hajia Sa’adatu Yero, commended Chairman Adedeji for his dedication to strengthening the unit’s role within the agency.
In a related development, the National Human Rights Commission also recently established its own Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit, highlighting the growing commitment across various agencies to combat corruption and enhance transparency. This initiative underscores the vital link between upholding integrity and the protection of human rights.
