Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to invite it to observe recruitment, promotion and procurement exercises as the Fund moves to strengthen transparency and accountability across its operations.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, made the call in Abuja during the inauguration of the NSITF’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) and its regional and branch champions.
Aliyu said the commission’s presence during the exercises would help strengthen confidence in the processes and encourage compliance with established rules.
He described the inauguration as an important step towards improving the Fund’s internal safeguards against corruption, adding that the ACTU would help identify weaknesses in existing systems, reduce corruption risks and promote ethical conduct.
The ICPC chairman urged NSITF management to provide the unit with adequate funding, office facilities and representation on relevant standing committees to enable it to function effectively.
He stressed that the ACTU was not intended to compete with management but to support its efforts to promote transparency, accountability and good governance.
“It is important to emphasise that the ACTU is a complementary unit to Management. Its role is not to compete with or replace the Management but to support and strengthen the Fund’s efforts in promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical practices,” Aliyu said.
He charged the newly inaugurated members to carry out their duties with integrity and impartiality, warning them against actions or relationships that could undermine their independence and credibility.
Aliyu said the ACTU initiative was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to provide public institutions with internal mechanisms for identifying systemic weaknesses, preventing corruption and enforcing compliance with established procedures.
Speaking at the event, NSITF Managing Director, Oluwaseun Faleye, described the inauguration as a renewed commitment to building an institution where integrity guides decisions, accountability shapes conduct and public trust remains central.
Faleye welcomed the ICPC delegation, describing the commission as a partner in improving the Fund’s operations rather than an agency to be feared
He assured staff that the ACTU was not established to witch-hunt anyone, explaining that its role was preventive and collaborative.
“There is really no cause for concern. It is not a witch-hunt, it is not an investigative or interrogative process. It is rather a collaborative process that guides us from making mistakes we will regret down the line,” he said.
Faleye urged staff to see the unit as a partner and encouraged its members to create an environment where colleagues could freely share information and report concerns where necessary.
He charged the newly inaugurated members and regional and branch champions to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, courage, objectivity and professionalism, noting that the unit’s credibility would depend on the results it delivered.
The MD said the appointment of regional and branch champions was particularly important because much of the Fund’s work took place outside its headquarters.
He stressed that preventing corruption was the responsibility of every staff member, regardless of rank.
“Every staff member has a duty to uphold established procedures, protect public resources and act in the best interest of the institution,” Faleye said.
He assured that management would strengthen internal controls and promote ethical behaviour, adding that accountability must begin with the leadership.
“Internal control, ethical behaviour, accountability will start from the top and go down the ranks. We are committed to providing the right leadership,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated ACTU members, the Deputy General Manager, General Administration Services, at the NSITF Abuja Regional Office, Asma’u Mohammed, pledged that the unit would carry out its responsibilities with diligence, fairness and professionalism.
Mohammed thanked the Fund’s management, particularly Faleye, for the confidence reposed in the members, and commended the ICPC for its support in strengthening integrity systems across public institutions.
She described the inauguration as more than the establishment of a unit, saying it represented a commitment to making transparency and accountability part of the Fund’s daily operations.
Mohammed said the ACTU would promote ethical values, identify corruption risks, encourage compliance with established procedures and support management in strengthening good governance.
She added that the regional and branch champions would extend integrity advocacy to offices across the country, but stressed that the fight against corruption could not be left to the unit alone.
The Acting Chairperson of the NSITF ACTU, Udoka Mirian Otti, also called for collective responsibility, noting that the Fund’s duty to provide social security protection to Nigerian workers and their dependants under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme made fairness and accountability essential to its operations.
Otti expressed appreciation to the ICPC and NSITF management for supporting efforts to strengthen transparency within the institution.
