Friday, March 29, 2024

WE NOW KNOW HOW BEST TO TACKLE CORRUPTION – EFCC

▪︎Commends Signature TV & MacArthur Foundation 

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Abdulrasheed Bawa has said that the agency is refocusing its approach in fighting corruption.

Bawa, said the agency is channelling its energy towards prevention of financial crimes, because of the huge cost of arresting and prosecuting offenders as it saved resources and saved society from the effects of corruption before it happens.

The Chairman stated this in Abuja on Tuesday at the unveiling of Corruption Tori Season 3, a television programme that amplifies the war against corruption, produced by Signature TV and supported by MacArthur Foundation.

The Theme of the new season is “Carry The Fight Against Corruption For Head Na you Get Am”.

Bawa who was represented by a Deputy Director in the agency, Chris Oluka regretted that the older generation has failed the younger generation due to corruption.

While urging Nigerians to go beyond talking to taking decisive actions to end the reign of corruption in Nigeria, he commended Signature TV, MacArthur Foundation and Corruption Tori for seeking out ordinary Nigerians and rewarding  their anti-graft efforts.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye said the commission has begun a program of grassroots mobilization and sensitization in its drive to take the fight against corruption to those who suffer the harmful efforts of corruption.

The Chairman who was represented by Garba Akibu, said since Corruption Tori focuses on the same section of the Nigerian population, the two organizations would collaborate more to achieve the objective.

He also used the opportunity to call on other organizations in the fight against corruption to team up with ICPC and other agencies, as no one can fight or win the war against corruption alone.

Speaking at the event, The Inspector General of Police IGP, Usman Alkali Baba said the police force has created a mechanism to receive complaints from members of the public when its personnel are involved in corrupt practices.

The IGP who was represented by CSP El-Mustapha Sani, said that a situation where a police constable receives forty thousand Naira (40,000) as monthly salary makes it sometimes difficult for operatives to resist the temptation of corruption.

Sani thanked Signature Communications for making Nigeria’s younger generation and the grassroots the focus of Corruption Tori.

The former Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Godfrey Dikeocha pointed out that for corruption to end in Nigeria, the civil service must be sanitized as some of the civil servants collude with politicians to embezzle public funds.

He said that for corruption to take place, there will always be a handshake between civil servants and politicians.

Honorable Dikeocha also said that the nation must take a hard look at its reward system and give civil servants a living wage, adding that an underpaid civil servant is part of the reason why corruption thrives within the public sector.

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The former speaker called on the National Assembly to enact a law that will make it mandatory for details of contracts awarded by all tiers of government, in excess of 50 million Naira to be deposited with the anti-graft agencies.

According to him, this will help the anti-graft agencies to monitor governments projects awarded to contractors and know when contractors are doing the wrong thing.

The Deputy Director Africa Office, MacArthur Foundation, Dayo Olaide, commended Corruption Tori for engaging those in the grassroot in the fight against corruption.

Olaide, called on school children to take advantage of what Corruption Tori was doing to define their future and build a Nigeria that they all will be proud of.

He called on the school children who were fully represented at the event to take up the fight against corruption by insisting on what is right to make Nigeria free from corruption.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Signature Communications, producers of Corruption Tori, VinMartin Obiora Ilo who traced the journey of the project said the two previous seasons had focused on amplifying corruption stories, investigative reports and honoring ordinary Nigerians who have shown integrity in their various endeavours.

He said that Season 3 of the programme will focus more on the younger generation and the grassroots in the amplification  of the war against corruption.

Highlight of the event was the unveiling of Corruption Tori Season 3 and performance of the anti-Corruption Anthem by school children.

Corruption Tori, a Pidgin English television programme, translated into Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, is aired on the network service of Africa Independent Television AIT, and NTA partner stations.

SIGNATURETV 

 

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