The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced a five-day training for staff on revenue integrity, institutional accountability, anti-corruption and effective internal controls in Kaduna.
The programme, organised by the Commission’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) is aimed at strengthening governance, controls and institutional integrity through anti-corruption and audit excellence.
In his address at the event on Monday in Kaduna, the RMAFC Chairman, Muhammed Bello-Shehu said the constitutional responsibilities entrusted to the Commission placed it at the centre of Nigeria’s fiscal governance and required an uncompromised commitment to integrity.
The Chairman who was represented by Ismail Mohammed-Agaka, Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State, urged officers to uphold transparency, accountability, fairness and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
He warned against abuse of office, conflict of interest, favouritism, manipulation of official processes and deliberate disregard for established rules.
“The fight against corruption is not the responsibility of ACTU or ICPC alone. It is a personal and institutional responsibility.
“Every decision we take, every process we manage, and every official conduct we undertake must withstand the test of integrity, accountability, fairness and transparency,” he said.
Muhammad said corruption should not be viewed only in terms of financial bribes or direct misappropriation of funds, but could also manifest through actions that undermined established procedures and public trust.
He urged participants to take full advantage of the five-day programme by engaging the resource persons and applying the knowledge gained to their daily duties and service delivery.
He said RMAFC officers must be “persons above reproach”, adding that integrity should guide their decisions, while accountability should define their actions.
Earlier, Dr Idris Yusuf-Musa, Director, Audit and Chairman of ACTU, said the programme underscored the unit’s commitment to ensuring that integrity, transparency and accountability were embedded in the Commission’s operations.
Yusuf-Musa urged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training to their daily duties and resist practices that undermined due process.
“Our conduct must always justify the public trust reposed in us,” he said.
He appreciated the management of RMAFC for its support and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for its partnership in promoting integrity and accountability in public service.
Participants at the training who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria said the programme would strengthen integrity, transparency and accountability in the discharge of their official responsibilities.
One of the participants, Nabila Abubakar, a staff member of the Kaduna State Directorate on RMAFC, said the training had provided her with useful knowledge that would help strengthen integrity within the organisation.
Abubakar said the programme would also enhance public visibility and awareness of the activities of the organisation.
According to her, improved public visibility is important in promoting integrity and encouraging staff to understand how to identify and tackle abuse of office and other forms of financial corruption.
She said the lessons from the training would help participants apply the principles of integrity and accountability in their respective areas of responsibility.
Another participant, Aminu Ibrahim Imam, a manager representing the Audit Department and a Chartered Accountant, identified accountability, transparency and integrity as key principles that should guide the operations of public institutions.
Imam said the three principles were particularly important to the Commission given its responsibilities in revenue mobilisation, collection and the promotion of fiscal efficiency.
He said effective application of the principles would help ensure proper management of public funds and promote value for money.
Imam expressed optimism that the knowledge and experience gained from the training would contribute to improving the performance of staff and strengthening the effectiveness of the Commission.
Newsmen report that the training was for staff from the headquarters and North-West state offices.