FIRS Anti-Corruption Unit: Achieving Transparency and Integrity

By Sherifat Oyediran.

In a bid to ensure transparency and accountability in tax collection processes and operations at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, has put together a 12-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) with the mandate to ensure zero tolerance for unethical acts and corruption within the revenue-collecting agency.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the Revenue House in Abuja inaugurated the body, which is to collaborate with anti-graft agencies.

Speaking at the event, Adedeji, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Tayo Koleosho, urged the newly inducted members of the anti-corruption unit to live above board, saying, “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”

In a message to the inauguration, the Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi, 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.

According to him, the easy part of being a member of the FIRS anti-corruption unit has just been done. ” The real work starts now, quoting an adage that says, “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”.

“ Remember that, the staff of FIRS, taxpayers and the general public should be able to relate with the integrity you bring to this responsibility,” Adedeji said.

The Coordinating Director of Support Services Group, Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, noted that the FIRS will continue to provide support for the anti-corruption unit and urged the inductees to be good examples of people imbued with honesty and integrity.

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu, who was represented by the Director of System Study and Review, ICPC, Mr Olusegun Adigun, said the FIRS ACTU members would be supported to deliver on their mandate.

“With this inauguration, the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit of the FIRS has been authorized to conduct regular awareness sessions for staff on the negative effects of corruption, assess systems processes and procedures that are susceptible to corruption, provide solutions, and review the code of ethics for staff.”Others are, ensuring compliance with the same monitoring budget and its implementation by the FIRS, coordinating the deployment of the ethics and integrity scorecards, and undertaking preliminary investigations into complaints and reports received.

Others are, ensure compliance with same monitoring budget and its implementation by the FIRS, coordinate the deployment of the ethics and integrity scorecards, undertake preliminary investigation into complaints and reports received.

Aliyu explained further and I quote, “The ACTU is not set up as a parallel authority to the management, rather, they are to work closely with the management to build a reputable agency “.

” I, therefore, implore the FIRS to see the unit in this light and support it by providing a conducive environment for it to function, provide funds and office accommodation as well as incorporate members in various standing committees as contained in the extant circular of the Federal Government,” said the ICPC chief.

The Director of the anti-corruption unit, Hajia Sa’adatu Yero, commended Adedeji for his genuine commitment to strengthening the anti-corruption unit.

Yero stated that ACTU is entrusted with the critical responsibility of preventing corrupt practices within the Service through the effective implementation of anti-corruption measures and mechanisms. It should strive to eliminate unethical practices and ensure the highest standards of integrity and transparency in the operations of the agency.

“ACTU of FIRS is made up of representatives of the various groups in the Service within and outside such as the ICPC, the Nigerian Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure all corruption and unethical risks of the Service are tackled effectively.

“ACTU of the Service was recently rated among the best in the country scoring 79.95% in the 2022 Ethics and Integrity Scorecard survey. The Head, of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit is chairman and Director, ACTU will oversee all aspects of the anti-corruption activities of the Service,” she