By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has taken more steps to curb corrupt acts among staff in running public services.
Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, said public servant who holds power, authority and trust for the people, must lead the vanguard of the crusade against corruption.
He stated this during a one-day Sensitisation Seminar on Anticorruption Policy organised for the staff Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Ministry.
Umakhihe explained that the workshop With the theme, ” Whistle Blower Policy, Ethics and Compliance” was intended to sensitise the staff of the Ministry on the provision of the Anti-corruption policy, as part of the functions of the ACTU to educate and enlighten the public servants on, and against corruption.
The permanent secretary who was represented by the Director Human Resource, Abdullahi Utono, said the ministry is committed to implementing the Anticorruption provision to the letter.
In a statement, the ministry’s Director of press said, the head of the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit of the Ministry, Barrister Sonny Inyang, stated that emphasis on corruption was the bane of every country in the world.
According to the statement, the United Nations Anti-Corruption Committee made it mandatory for all member nations to establish a body that would regulate the conduct and management of economic affairs of the countries, in line with best practices.
Barrister Inyang disclosed that Nigeria as a member nation established the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) which further gave birth to the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU).
The ACTU according to Barrister Inyang had been set up in all the Ministerial Departments and Agencies of the government by ICPC as one of the implementation mechanisms for its mandate on prohibition and prevention of corruption especially in the public service.
