The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has taken steps towards combating corruption within its ranks by establishing a 12-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU).
The unit, which was inaugurated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is tasked with ensuring zero tolerance for unethical acts and corruption within the revenue-collecting agency.
FIRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Koleosho, emphasised the importance of integrity and transparency for the newly inducted members of the ACTU.
He urged them to live above board and reflect the core values of the FIRS, which abhors corruption.
A statement by Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser on media to the FIRS chairman, said Adedeji charged members of the unit to reflect the core values of the agency which he said abhor corruption, tasking them to bring integrity and transparency to bear in their roles and responsibilities.
“The easy part of being a member of FIRS anti-corruption unit has just been done. The real work starts now. The FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji believes that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“The staff of FIRS and by extension, the taxpayers as well as the general public should be able to relate with the integrity you bring to this responsibility,” Adedeji said.
The ICPC chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, represented by Mr. Olusegun Adigun, the Director of System Study and Review, expressed the ICPC’s commitment to supporting the FIRS ACTU in delivering on its mandate.
He outlined the unit’s responsibilities, which include: periodic sensitization of staff on the ills of corruption; examination of systems, processes, and procedures prone to corruption; development and review of a code of ethics for staff and monitoring budget and its implementation.
Other responsibilities are: coordinating the deployment of ethics and integrity scorecards and undertaking preliminary investigations into complaints and reports
The ICPC emphasized that the ACTU should not be seen as a parallel authority to the FIRS management but rather as a collaborative partner in building a reputable agency.
The director of the FIRS ACTU, Hajia Sa’adatu Yero, expressed gratitude to the FIRS Chairman for his commitment to strengthening the unit.
She highlighted the ACTU’s crucial role in preventing corrupt practices and ensuring the highest standards of integrity within the Service.
The ACTU, composed of representatives from various groups within the FIRS, has been actively collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders to address corruption risks effectively.
The unit’s dedication to its mandate was recognized in the 2022 Ethics and Integrity Scorecard survey, where it achieved a high score of 79.95 percent.