Shippers Council's Anti corruption unit assured of minister's support

The Minister of Transportation, Mu'azu Jaji Sambo has assured the Anti Corruption and Transparency unit (ACTU) of the Nigerian Shippers Council of his maximum support urging them to be battle ready to fight corruption.

Speaking at the inauguration of the unit by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Chairman,  ACTU, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Oliver Chukwu assured that the Minister of Transportation is in support of the initiative. Noting that the fight against corruption is an herculean task, he urged members to be steadfast in the fight against corruption.

"The Minister of Transportation, Mu'azu Jaji Sambo is in support of all what you are doing. Whatever it takes to support the fight against corruption, the Ministry will support you in all aspects of it. The Minister said I should tell that you should keep it up," Chukwu said.

 As the head of the unit, the chairman promised to support whatever they are doing, adding that they need formal training to be successful as the fight against corruption is not an easy thing. 

Sharing his experience in the fight against corruption, Chukwu said that at a point in the Ministry, people were calling him policeman and at a point, people were planning evil against me but God saw him through.

The Executive Secretary, NSC, Hon. Emmanuel Jime in his welcome address gave assurance of his absolute support to the activities of the unit, saying that the Council's mission statement is in consonance with the initiative. 

He enjoined members of the unit to shun bribery in the course of discharging their duties. 

He pointed out that the programme is to inaugurate the Shippers' Council staff who have been cleared and approved by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related and Offences Commission to become members of ACTU in the council.

Jime noted that in the public service, government employees are regarded as representatives of the government of the day and therefore are expected to manifest the attitude of zero tolerance anti corruption as advocated by the government.

According to him,  NSC has a mission statement that promotes an effective and efficient transport economic regulatory system that would contribute to the economic growth of the nation which imposed additional requirement of higher integrity in order to achieve the mission of becoming the nation's foremost regulator.

The NSC boss congratulated the inductees and remind them that the task ahead of them is enormous but has no doubt that they would deliver on the additional assignment given to them.

He challenged them to always remember to be honourable and not give or take bribe.

The Resident Commissioner, ICPC, Lagos State, Kabir Elelu said that the unit would replicate the activities of ICPC in the Shippers' Council and noted that aside from the conventional functions of the Commission which is to probe corrupt practices among others, it also prevents corruption from happening.

He called on the members to live by example as it's an herculean task.

"To whom much is given, much is expected and to have been found worthy of membership which was thoroughly screened, it calls for a responsibility. ACTU reports directly to the CEO in all MDAs and it also provides that funds for the activities of the unit should be in the budget of every year. For these reasons, the Chairman and members of the unit should please take full advantage of this by ensuring that they carry out all the mandate of ICPC to the best of their ability. It is only by reporting. Of course, they can report or even with call for an investigation if there's something wrong somewhere. Another function to carry out is to prevent corruption from happening and educate the public against corruption," Elelu explained. 

The Chairman, ACTU, Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC), Adaku Victoria Okam in her acceptance speech promised to bring special perspective on ACTU activities and sustain a corruption free organization. 

She believed that they can do it and  assured NSC, the support organ, ICPC, under which framework ACTU draws it's standing order and the supervisory Ministry, FMOT that they will together not only by ACTU activities but by the nationwide fight against corruption which is also a global agenda.

Members of the unit are the Chairman, Adaku Victoria, Secretary, Emeruwa Nkechi, Members,  Zubairu Muhammed, John Bongko, Hamzat Marina, Habibat Aminu, and Oriyomi Ige.

ACTU is an initiative of ICPC to carry out system check, investigation and prevent corruption in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.