The Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (FEAC) is comprised of various departments, services and offices. Here is a brief description of them.

 1)      The Ethics Education and Public Relations Department

The major objective of this Department is creating an aware society (in cooperation with relevant bodies) where corruption will not be tolerated by promoting ethics and anti-corruption education. It also publicizes the Commission’s visions, missions, objectives, duties, powers, programmes and activities in cooperation with other departments. In discharging its responsibilities, the department uses various tools and channels of communication, including media, posters, fliers, brochures and magazines. It also gives face-to-face trainings. Besides, it provides the necessary support to the public offices and enterprises in the establishment of the ethics liaison units and their proper functioning. Simply put, all the activities and efforts of this Department are geared towards the effective prevention of corruption through the enhancement of ethics and anti-corruption education.   

The Ethics Education and Public Relations Department, which is comprised of the Public Relations and Media and Ethics Education Divisions, is headed by a Director, who, in turn, has two Assistant Directors under his supervision. The two Assistant Directors, on their part, are authorized to lead the above-mentioned Divisions, which jointly constitute the Department. The Media and Public Relations Division is sub-divided into the Media and Public Relations Teams. The department has 28 members in total. As to their educational background, members of the staff have held diplomas, first degrees and second degrees in the areas of languages and literature, education, political science and international relations, theatrical arts, curriculum, and communication psychology. These professionals have various levels of experience in the areas of teaching, curriculum designing, journalism, training, etc.

 2)    The Corruption Prevention and Research Department 

This Department is duty-bound to prevent corruption offences and other improprieties in cooperation with relevant bodies. In order to do so, the Department studies the practices and procedures in public offices and public enterprises thereby securing the revision of methods of work which may be conducive to corrupt practices. It also undertakes research on ethics and corruption and publishes report on its studies. Upon the completion of the studies and researches, the Department conducts consultative workshops with stakeholders and finally puts forward corrective recommendations and follows up their implantation. It is also authorized to prepare and monitor the implementation of codes of ethics for public offices and public enterprises.

The Corruption Prevention and Research Department, which has 28 professional staffers in total, is comprised of three Divisions. The constituent Divisions are the Corruption Prevention and Research (1), the Corruption Prevention and Research (2) and the Ethics Research Division. The Department is headed by a Director, who has three Assistant Directors (who in turn lead three Divisions) under his authority.

 3)    The Corruption Investigation Department

According to the Commission’s Establishment Proclamation, the Corruption Investigation Department is authorized to investigate or cause the investigation of any alleged or suspected corruption offences where they are committed in public offices or public enterprises or in the regional offices relating to subsidies granted by the Federal Government to the regions. It is also obliged by law to investigate or cause the investigation of any complaints of alleged serious breaches of the codes of ethics in public offices or public enterprises and follow up the taking of proper measures.

The Department receives tips from whistle-blowers on alleged corruption offences and ethical infringements, investigates them in the order of their seriousness and transfers them to the Department of Prosecution of the Commission. It may also require the production or examination of relevant documents or information from any federal or regional public office or enterprise. Accordingly, any public official or public employee is obliged by law to show or produce relevant documents or information when requested by the Department. In a similar vein, they are duty-bound to report to the Department where they have a reasonable suspicion that corruption offences are or are about to be committed. In cooperation with relevant bodies, also, the Department is responsible to provide physical and job security protection for witnesses and whistle-blowers. It has 38 professionals out of whom five are security guards. Investigators are duty-bound to apply to courts for restraining order on any property acquired through the commission of corruption offences.

 4)    The Corruption Prosecution Department

The Prosecution Department, as its very name suggests, was established to prosecute or cause the prosecution of any alleged or suspected corruption offences (where they are committed in public offices or public enterprises or in the regional offices relating to subsidies granted by the Federal Government to regions) based on the supportive and incriminating evidences provided by the Investigation Department. It is also authorized to freeze, by court order, assets and wealth that are allegedly obtained through corruption and cause (through court order) their forfeiture and confiscation. If the court verdict goes in its favour, the Department shall dispose the assets and wealth (by or without public auction) and transfer them to the Government. The Prosecution Department works in close collaboration with the Investigation Department, Courts and other prosecutorial bodies. The Department has 24 staffers in total.

 5)    Administration and Finance Department

The Administration and Finance Department has the largest number of staffers, 70. It is led by a Director, with an Assistant Director under him. It is comprised of five units, namely Finance, Human Resource Management and Training, Property Administration and General Services and Information technology Units. The Assistant Director is mainly in charge of the Property Administration and General Services Unit. 

The Finance Unit administers, organizes and controls the Commission’s budgetary spending and expenditure. The Human Resource Management and Training Unit, on its part, is entitled to develop the Commission’s human resource capacity through employment and transfer. It is also responsible to build the capacity of the staffers through various training and awareness-raising programmes. Issues related to credentials, pension and leave of absence are also handled by this same Unit. 

The Property Administration and General Services Unit procures consumable goods and fixed assets, distributes them among the Commission’s staffers as required and administers their proper and efficient utilization. It is also in charge of all the maintenance activities, payments and insurance agreements.

The Information Technology Unit takes charge of equipping the Commission and its staffers with appropriate information technology.

 6)    The Audit, Plan and Programme and Legal Services

The Internal Audit Service is accountable to the Commissioner. The Service audits the financial documents and performances of the various Departments, Services and Units of the FEAC and presents the report to the Commissioner. The Service examines the authenticity, legitimacy and validity of the financial documents and declarations, makes recommendations based on its assessments and follows up its implementation. 

The Plan and Programme Service is accountable to the Commissioner. It is duty-bound to coordinate and organize the Commission’s plans, programmes, projects and performance reports. It also evaluates and follows up the implementation of plans, projects and programmes. Moreover, the Service develops short, long and mid-term plans of the FEAC and proposes appropriate strategies on how to effectively implement them. It also advises the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Directors on developing plans, projects, programmes and performance evaluation. It also collects and organizes statistical data and abstract. 

The Legal Service is also accountable to the Commissioner. It provides legal advice to the Commissioner and other departments of the Commission, prepares legal documents, comments on draft regulations and directives prepared by other departments, represents the Commission on legal issues and prepares directives. There are two lawyers in the contracts Service. It also revises the existing regulations and directives, detects possible bottle necks in them and proposes options for amendment.

Additionally, the three Services and the Administrative Department render operational support for other departments.

 7)    Regional Liaison Office

The Regional Liaison Unit is accountable to the Deputy Commissioner. The Unit liaises between the Commission and the Regional Ethics and Anti-corruption Bodies. It, for example, facilitates the provision of support for regions in establishing their own Ethics and Anti-corruption Commissions and provides them with the necessary support in the implementation of their plans and programmes. It also identifies areas of cooperation and makes the necessary preparations for the launching of joint collaborative projects. It also facilitates the provision of support for them in the areas of capacity building and training.