NRC Reaffirms Commitment To Transparency As Opeifa Inaugurates ACTU
OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct across its operations.
Dr. Opeifa gave the assurance on Friday during the inauguration of the newly reconstituted Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the corporation’s headquarters in Lagos.
He described the inauguration as “another strong step in our collective journey to building a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability within our corporation,” while commending the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for its continuous support. He acknowledged the role of the ICPC’s Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner in reinforcing internal governance at the NRC.
According to the Managing Director, the corporation is currently undergoing a phase of expansion, modernization and increased public interface—developments that require stronger ethical standards and an effective internal control system.
He said the reconstituted ACTU would function as an internal watchdog to ensure that the NRC adheres to best practices in service delivery, procurement, financial management, staff conduct and overall corporate governance.
“ACTU, established by the ICPC, is not just a statutory requirement. It is a strategic instrument for preventing corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening public confidence across Ministries, Departments and Agencies,” he added.
Dr. Opeifa charged the newly inaugurated members to champion ethical values across departments, ensure compliance with existing rules and guidelines, report violations promptly and collaborate professionally with the ICPC.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, said ACTU has evolved into a government-recognised anti-corruption mechanism designed to identify and address systemic weaknesses within MDAs. Dr. Aliyu, represented by the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Mr. Chukwurah Alexander, through the Lagos State Head of Operations, Dr. Mrs. Florence Barry, reminded the appointees of the importance of professionalism and integrity in their duties.
He urged the new unit members to avoid actions capable of compromising the strategic responsibilities assigned to them.
In her acceptance speech, Chairman of the NRC ACTU, Mrs. Clara Ndibe, assured that the unit would work to enhance public confidence and strengthen transparency within the corporation. She said ACTU would prioritise ethical conduct, regulatory compliance and internal process improvement in line with the NRC’s public service mandate.
Leaders of the two major railway unions—the National President of the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR), Comrade Innocent Ajiji, and the Senior Staff Workers Union representative, Comrade Marcel Okeke—pledged the support of the workforce for the corporation’s renewed drive towards accountability and transparent operations.
