Abuja: The Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) has inaugurated its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) Committee to improve institutional integrity and ethical public service delivery. The committee members were sworn in at the ministry's headquarters on Wednesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Maryam Ismaila-Keshinro, the ministry's Permanent Secretary, stated that this initiative marks a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and the Federal Government's zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Dr. Ismaila-Keshinro emphasized that the inauguration goes beyond a ceremonial event, calling it a call to action. She stressed that while ACTU serves as an institutional anchor, the fight against corruption is a shared responsibility that requires vigilance, integrity, and full engagement from every staff member. She also highlighted the necessity for good governance, service delivery, and ethical conduct across all sectors.
Dr. Musa Adamu, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), commended the ministry's initiative and commitment to institutional reform. Represented by Mr. Jude Okoye, Adamu noted that the inaugurated officials are not competitors of management but are meant to complement and identify weaknesses within the system. They are tasked with monitoring budget implementation, ensuring compliance with ethics, and supporting overall institutional performance. He affirmed that ACTU is now recognized as a formal anti-corruption mechanism within the public service framework and stressed the importance of management support, including adequate funding and office space, to enable ACTU to fulfill its mandate effectively.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Mr. Musa Aliyu-Musa, Chairman of ACTU, reiterated their commitment to discharging their duties with utmost diligence, integrity, and professionalism.
The News Agency of Nigeria also reports that the key responsibilities of the ACTU Committee include conducting staff sensitization and training on anti-corruption and ethical standards. The committee is also responsible for reviewing organizational procedures to identify corruption-prone areas and recommend solutions, conducting corruption risk assessments (CRA) to detect vulnerabilities, developing and monitoring the ministry's Code of Ethics, overseeing budget implementation to ensure transparency, and coordinating the deployment of ethics and integrity compliance scorecards.
Additionally, ACTU is tasked with undertaking preliminary investigations into complaints and reports. Other members of the committee include Mrs. Obiako Kate-Ukamaka as Secretary, along with Mrs. Tubomo Lifu, Mr. Dibor Ogochukwu, Mrs. Ebune Miria-Ugbede, and Mr. Kamal Yusuf.