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ICPC Inaugurates 2,000 Anti-Corruption Clubs, Vanguards In 20 Years

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences (ICPC) has said it has inaugurated over 2,000 anti-corruption clubs and vanguards since the initiative’s commencement in 2003.
The Resident Anti-corruption Commissioner of ICPC in Kaduna, Hassan Mohammed, said this yesterday at the formal inauguration of anti-corruption clubs in 30 schools within Kaduna metropolis.
The schools included Government Technical College, Malali, Rimi College, GSS, Narayi, GSS Kawo, Best Scholars (Benevolence), and ECWA Secondary School, among other government and private schools within Kaduna metropolis.
Mohammed said that all hands must be on deck in fighting corruption, adding that the anti-corruption clubs serve as means in inculcating the tenets of good behavior, ethics and integrity.
“We want to catch the students young now there minds are not poisoned by corruption and other vices so we believe this is the time to train their minds as to what we want the country to become,”he said
Mohammed explained that ICPC engaged members of the clubs and vanguards in line with the guidelines of their establishment, in sensitisation activities as well as essay writing, poetry, recitations, debate and quiz competition among others.
He said that such competitions were open to all schools with anti-corruption clubs, adding that that ICPC has enjoyed very cordial working relationship with the State Ministry of Education.
This, he said, has been through its public education outreach initiatives such as formation of such clubs and the introduction of National Values Curriculum for basic education.
According to him, the bedrock of any societal development, peace and stability are the youths, which triggered the ICPC to came up with the idea of targeting and engaging them through strategies such as NYSC CDS group.
Mohammed said the commission also target Students Anti-Corruption Vanguard (SAV) in tertiary institutions, Students
Anti-Corruption Clubs in secondary schools, National Values Curriculum (NVC) and Integrity Lecture Series, among others.
This is in order to inculcate the culture of Integrity, transparency and accountability at their early age.
He thanked the administrators of both the public and private schools that have assisted in mobilising the audience, especially the club advisers and students.
Formally administering the oath of membership to the students, Mr Mathew Mamman, ICPC’s Head of Legal Services in Kaduna, said prosecution of offenders was cost effective.
He, therefore, said that breeding students into the anti-corruption clubs was a step towards curtailing the menace of corruption in the society.
Mamman explained that the students would become vanguards of anti-corruption in their schools.
He said with the support of anti-corruption advisers in the students’ various schools, they would be able to suggest and advise on ways towards mitigating corruption in the schools.
Mamman tasked the students with discipline, respect and dedication in their academic pursuit.
Speaking on behalf of Zabib College, one of the anti-corruption clubs beneficiary school, Mr Usman Ahmed, the school’s’ anti-corruption club adviser, said through the club activities, students would be inculcated with the values of honesty and integrity.
He said that the students would begin to fight corruption at an early age which would be beneficial to them and their peer groups.
To the school, Ahmed said, the club would help cut unwanted behaviors like stealing, examination malpractice and sexual harassment, among others.
Similarly, Malam Muhammadjamiu Hussein, the anti-corruption club adviser in Best Scholars (Benevolence), said the club would curtail examination malpractices, combat moral decadence and inculcate didactic essence in the students.

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Learn How To Form Coalition Party From Tinubu, Sowunmi Tells Atiku 

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Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.

Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.

While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.

But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.

He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.

The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.

“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.

The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.

His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”

Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.

Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.

“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.

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FIRS Introduces New SOP To End Tax Confusion Nationwide 

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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.

The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.

In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.

He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.

“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.

The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.

FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.

“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.

The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.

“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.

The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.

 

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FG Working Towards World-Class Public Service -Walson-Jack 

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The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.

Walson-Jack made this known in  Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.

She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.

“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.

According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.

“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.

“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.

Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.

She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.

“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.

“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.

Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.

“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.

“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.

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