Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called for enhanced and consistent commitment to whistle blowing by Nigerians from all walks of life to tackle the menace of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.
He made this call in Abuja on Thursday, July 11, 2024 while addressing stakeholders in the anti-graft war who converged at the Unity Fountain to commemorate the 2024 African Anti-Corruption Day. According to him, the fight against corruption has become more compelling owing to its increasing threat to individual, corporate and national quest for growth and development. He charged Nigerians to be more prepared to explore the whistle blowing initiative as a demonstration of their sincerity and seriousness to break the fangs of corruption.
“Aside terrorism, corruption ranks as the next deadliest affliction of humanity in every region of the world. Given the danger and threat to our existence which corruption represents, individuals, communities, corporate bodies and indeed the whole world must join hands together to tackle it frontally. One way of doing this is through the whistle-blowing initiative”, he said.
Drawing from the theme of the 2024 African Anti-Corruption Day which is “Effective Whistleblowing for Corruption-Free Nigeria”, Olukoyede enjoined Nigerians to show commitment by fully embracing the demands of the whistle blowing policy of the government. The policy, launched on December 21, 2016 by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance, is an anti-graft programme that encourages people to voluntarily disclose information about fraud, bribery, looted government funds, financial misconduct, abuse or embezzlement of government assets and any other form of corruption or theft.
The EFCC boss explained that the fight against corruption required absolute commitment to integrity and unfaltering focus. “We cannot win the war against corruption through lip service, emotional outburst or mere mob campaigns. There is need for commitment, passion, consistence and credibility of intelligence. Every whistle blown must point towards truth and evidential proofs”, he said.
Various stakeholders at the Road Walk bared their minds on the need for more affirmative actions against corruption. Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajearo stated that the NLC will fully support the EFCC in its fight against corruption. He said that, “most of the governors being prosecuted today are those who couldn’t pay minimum wage. This is an urgent need for us to fight corruption and NLC will throw its weight behind the agency in all fight against corruption.”
Chairperson, Conference of Civil Society and Coordinator Civil Military Co-operation (CIMCO), Adams Otakwu, commended the EFCC for galvanizing Nigerians to stand against corruption. “It may interest us to know that upon all the threat to national security inclusive of terrorism, insurgency, proliferation of small arms and light weapons the most insidious of them is corruption and that is why the fight against corruption must be tackled head on”, he said
He called on the government, the national assembly and the international community to support the EFCC by providing adequate funding to enable the Commission carry out its mandate. Other speakers include Representative of the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Vice Marshal Etim Markus, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, among others
In Abuja, the Day was marked by a colourful Road Walk by staff of the EFCC and other stakeholders in the anti-corruption corridor. Amidst dancing, singing and exhilarating clarions, Olukoyede led the Walk from the Wuse 2 Zonal office of the EFCC through streets of Maitama and terminated it at the Unity Fountain. Nigerians, impressed by the enlightenment drives, cheered and waived and joined in the Walk. The same gusto resonated in other Zonal Commands such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Uyo, Ilorin, Ibadan, Makurdi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Enugu, Benin-City, Gombe, Kano where Directors in each of the Commands addressed stakeholders on the overarching necessity of whistleblowing.
