By Mardiyyah Abubakar
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in public institutions are not established to spy on, intimidate or police staff, but to promote accountability, transparency and ethical conduct.
An ICPC resource person, Barrister Bimpe Abodurin, gave the clarification during a sensitisation programme organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in collaboration with the commission in Abuja.
She explained that ACTUs were designed to strengthen internal control systems, identify corruption risks and promote institutional integrity through preventive measures rather than relying solely on investigation and prosecution.
Barrister Abodurin stressed that the units were neither parallel authorities nor rivals to institutional management, but work with relevant departments for efficient service delivery.
She highlights their responsibilities to include; conducting preliminary investigations into complaints, examining institutional processes, assessing corruption risks and observing relevant committee proceedings to ensure compliance with established rules. “Reports and recommendations from the units should be submitted to management for appropriate action, with copies forwarded to the ICPC where necessary”.
ICPC urged management to provide adequate funding, institutional support and protection against victimisation for ACTU members, saying the units needed an enabling environment to function effectively.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with the ICPC to promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct.
He warned that conflict of interest, abuse of office, favouritism and undue influence in the management of public resources could undermine public trust and institutional integrity.
Professor Sulaiman said preventing corruption required effective internal controls, transparent procurement processes, proper documentation and accountability in financial and administrative transactions.
He described the partnership with the ICPC as an important platform for institutional learning, capacity building and the promotion of preventive anti-corruption measures.
Earlier, the ACTU Chairman, Tondo Edward, described the programme as an important step towards strengthening the institute’s commitment to transparency, ethical conduct and improved service delivery.
During an interactive session, participants raised concerns about whistleblower protection, overlapping investigations, the autonomy of ACTU members and the effectiveness of the units in improving institutional performance.
The commission clarified that ACTUs were expected to work with existing internal control mechanisms and relevant departments rather than duplicate their responsibilities and encouraged institutions to establish whistleblower policies that protect individuals who report suspected misconduct in good faith.
Edited by Julian Osamoto
