Reps move to probe age falsification, anti-corruption units in MDAs

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to investigate the activities of Anti-Corruption Transparency Units (ACTU) across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the country.
The House equally directs its committee on public service matters, special duties, federal character, and National Planning and Economic Development to invite the Head of Service of the Federation to provide comprehensive details of all civil servants assigned to the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) for verification to track down the offenders.
The House investigation would focus on incidents of age falsification among civil servants within these MDAs.
The House resolutions followed following two separate motions moved during plenary session by Shehu Umar Ajilo and Yusuf Ahmed Badau
The committees are also to investigate the Head of Civil Service of the Federation’s Report.
Moving the motion to investigate the anti-corruption units, Shehu Umar Ajilo (PDP, Kaduna) recalled that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission requested the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit, popularly referred to as ACTU, in all MDAs to help in the fight against corruption.
He explained that on October 2, 2001, and April 16, 2003, two circulars were issued for the establishment and funding of the units, respectively, adding that another circular was issued on October 5, 2016, re-emphasizing both the establishment and funding of the units in all MDAs.
According to him, the ACTUs in each organization are expected to operate as an autonomous outfit of which its independence and protection shall be guaranteed.
He said the unit is supposed to be the watchdog or an anti-corruption division saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the activities of Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies and reporting any matter that is regarded as a corrupt practice to the ICPC for further action;
Worried that despite these circulars and efforts, corrupt practices persist in most MDAs, and if not checked, corruption will continue forever.
On his part, Yusuf Ahmed Badau described the Federal Civil Service as the heartbeat of the Public Service Administration in the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary, adding that the roles of civil servants constitute the foundation of nation-building; consequently, the strong and viable public service system is needed to promote effective and efficient public service to the country.
He said the primary responsibility of the Legislative Arm of Government in Nigeria is to monitor and investigate violations of laws enacted by it, which include matters pertaining to age falsification and other matters related to public service in Nigeria.
Badau said the rising number of unemployment caused by age falsification is highly of concern and requires urgent investigation and prosecution and expressed concern that in the last quarter of 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report indicated that the unemployment rate has risen by 5.3%, making Nigeria one of the countries with the most unemployed populace in the African continent.