EFCC Boss Charges Workers on Corruption
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has again reiterated the need for Nigerian workers to take up the gauntlet in the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria. Lamorde made this call on Tuesday at the EFCC anti-corruption sensitization programme organized for management and staff of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Abuja.
Lamorde who was represented by Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, told staff of PTDF that the programme was designed for the public and private sector workers in keeping with the mandate of the Commission to prevent economic and financial crimes. Section 6 of the EFCC Act requires the Commission to, in addition to its enforcement responsibilities, take measures to prevent the commission of economic crimes through aggressive public enlightenment and education as it is easier and cheaper to prevent a crime than fight it.According to Lamorde, the essence of the sensitization is to take the anti-graft campaign to the work place, and encourage workers to embrace the fight against graft as the EFCC alone cannot fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the Extractive Industry Fraud Unit of the Operations Department is charged primarily with the responsibility of investigating petroleum subsidy fraud, illegal oil bunkering, illegal mining and other related offences and asked the PTDF to continue to lend support to the Commission in tracking down offenders. Lamorde seized the opportunity to congratulate Olufemi Ajayi on his appointment as Executive Secretary of the agency. He commended PTDF for its corporation with EFCC in the fight against graft which he says shows that PTDF is a key player in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, particularly in the oil and gas sector. He called on both agencies to deepen the existing relationship and charged the PTDF to establish an Integrity section which he says would be a rally point for the promotion of transparency and accountability in the agency. Balareba .Z. Ahmed who received the EFCC team on behalf of the executive secretary thanked the Commission for its proactive initiatives in tackling corruption and promised to look into the issues raised by the Commission. Ifeoma Nwokika who spoke on behalf of the PTDF staff commended the EFCC. “This is an educative presentation, I am now better informed about the activities of the EFCC,” she said.