The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has Inaugurated the Anti-corruption Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Independent Corrupt practices (ICPC) for accountability and transparency. This was disclosed by the Managing Director/CEO FERMA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi, FNSE, Phd during the inauguration ceremony at the Agency’s Headquarters today, being 5th August, 2025.
Engr. Agbasi stressed the establishment of ACTUs in Ministries, Departments and Agencies as instrumental to fighting corrupt practices and ensuring value for funds expended., adding that the management team would give the ACTU members the necessary support in achieving it mandated duties for the benefit of upholding the Agency zero tolerance for corruption policy, and a corruption free Nigeria.
The inauguration follows the anti-graft agency’s revelation that 92 Ministries, Departments and Agencies were yet to establish ACTU units, while 172 others had weak or ineffective units.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Committee in FERMA, Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Ali, represented by the Deputy Director of Systems Study and Review, Olusegun Adigun expressed his profound gratitude to the Agency for the support in facilitating the inauguration of the Unit.
He emphasized that the Unit “functions as internal mechanisms to identify and address systemic weaknesses while ensuring compliance and ethical standards across MDAs,” adding that the ACTU will also support the Management of the Agency in achieving its vision “to become the most efficient road maintenance management organization that will enhance the Economic well-being and interest of Nigerians”.
Adigun outlined the duties of the Unit to include conducting periodic sensitisation and training of staff to foster anti-corruption awareness and adherence to ethical standards, examining organisational systems, processes, and procedures prone to corruption and proposing actionable solutions, coordinating the deployment of the ethics and integrity compliance scorecard and undertaking preliminary investigations into complaints and reports received , among others. He further reiterate that the ACTU Unit functions as a complementary body to Management, operating under the direct oversight of the Managing Director/CEO.
ACTU role is not to compete with or replace Management but to strengthen efforts in promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical practices. In this context, I urge Management to provide the necessary support to ACTU by creating an enabling environment, allocating adequate funds, ensuring proper office facilities and granting representation in standing committees, as stipulated in the government circular Ref No: OHCSF/SPSO/CSTD/314/T2/61, dated 5thOctober, 2016,” Adigun stated.
In his remarks, the MD/CEO FERMA congratulated the newly appointed ACTU chairman, Obianuju Agwubuo and other members, urging them to entrench the values of accountability , integrity and transparency within the public service.
The MD also reaffirmed the Agency’s zero tolerance policy to misappropriation, mismanagement of funds or other corrupt practices, adding that the Agency is committed to supporting the inaugurated committee to achieve the mandate of the ICPC.
He expressed his appreciation to ICPC for partnering with FERMA to fight corruption in the country.
Signed
Maryam Sanusi, fnipr.
Director, Information and Public Relations.
