BUJA (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Report) - The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has inaugurated its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) with a renewed commitment to waging war against graft through the promotion of probity, transparency and accountability in the conduct of government business. Speaking at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Habiba Lawal said that addressing the issues and concerns of over 70% of the country’s population, who are under the purview of the Ministry and consisting of women, children, Persons with Disabilities and the elderly could only be achieved through prudent and transparent management of resources. While regretting that corruption has given the country a bad name in the past, she expressed optimism that the on-going multi-faceted government approach to addressing the issue of corruption give a more positive image to the country. She indicated that as part of the on-going efforts to re-focus, re-invigorate and sustain the anti-corruption campaign, ACTU is one of the Units which the Federal Civil Service Commission is paying great attention to. “It is being refocused to ensure that services are provided to Nigerians in a timely and transparent manner,” she inferred. “ACTU is not a witch-hunting instrument but a sanitizing and nurturing instrument for greater improvement in the overall ethical tone and performance of the Ministry and indeed all other government agencies. We must all work towards giving our country a positive image, an image deserving its leadership role in the continent.” The Permanent Secretary noted that this is an intervention that is prior to the occurrence of corruption and a way of creating an environment and strategy for reducing the vulnerability of the system to corrupt practices and facilitating the development of the culture of integrity. She averred that the membership of ACTU cuts across departments, professions and gender and was carefully selected based on diligence and integrity records, expressing the belief that they would continue to demonstrate these virtues in the discharge of their duties. While administering the Oath of Allegiance to the members on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman, Nta Ekpo, a top official of the ICPC, Justin Kuatse said that the mandate to eliminate corruption in Nigeria is hinged on an approach which combines the punitive, preventive and enlightenment methods. He also pointed out that although ACTUs lack the power to prosecute, they are expected to conduct preliminary investigations on petitions bordering on corruption and make recommendations to both the management of the Ministry and ICPC. He admonished members to be guided by the oath administered on them and ensure that they carry out their activities with utmost sense of responsibility. In his acceptance speech, Sumi Adamu Gizos promised to work with other members of the Unit towards developing a societal attitude in rejection of graft in all its ramifications. “We will work to make corruption socially and morally unacceptable in our society. We will develop a culture of integrity and build a consensus of public intolerance to corruption in the Ministry,” he assured.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 08:51:39 +0000