The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has reaffirmed that under his leadership, the Commission will not allow public officers who corruptly enrich themselves to go unpunished.
In a statement posted by the anti-graft agency on Monday, Olukoyede made this declaration at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop on Anti-Corruption, Fiscal Responsibility, Transparency, and Good Governance for state and local government officials.
The event was organised by the House Committee on Financial Crimes in collaboration with the EFCC at the EFCC Academy in Karu, Abuja.
Speaking through the Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Deputy Commandant of the EFCC (DCE) Chinwe Ndubueze, Olukoyede stated, “The EFCC under my leadership will have no sympathy for public officers who breach the rules to enrich themselves or their cronies.”
He further emphasised that the outcome of the training would mark a turning point in fostering a culture of accountability and integrity in public service, as it aims to equip officials across different tiers of government with financial best practices.
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While underscoring the significance of fiscal responsibility in effective public service delivery, he revealed that 70% of Nigeria’s public sector challenges stem from poor fiscal transparency.
Olukoyede also noted that in every budget cycle, trillions of naira are allocated to address the country’s pressing infrastructural, social, and economic needs.
However, he lamented that “Instead, we have suffered the terrible misfortune of seeing rules circumvented and funds either diverted or outrightly stolen through various sharp practices in the procurement value chain, while the rest of us bear the consequences of the indiscretions of a few corrupt public officers.”
Addressing the participants, he stressed, “As public officers, you occupy a vantage position to determine the fortune of this nation. Nigeria, with all its human and natural resources, has no business being poor. However, corruption remains the albatross that has held this nation captive.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Crimes, Honourable Ginger Onwusibe, represented by the Clerk of the Committee, Austin Adesoro, advocated for the promotion of the Whistleblower Policy in public offices.
He urged participants to view corruption as public enemy number one.
“Public office demands sacrifices, not indulgence. Nigeria needs accountable institutions to deliver on its mandate. The integrity of leaders is vital, and corrupt officers must be sanctioned for corrupt practices. That’s why we need collaboration at all levels,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, a representative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Hassan Salifu, commended the EFCC and the House Committee on Financial Crimes for the initiative.
He encouraged participants to leverage the training to block loopholes in the system.
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“Indeed, this is a timely and necessary intervention, particularly at a time when financial integrity and accountability must be at the forefront of governance at the federal, state, and local government levels,” he said.
Similarly, Kingsley Amaku, who represented the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), emphasized in his goodwill message that the fight against corruption requires more than enforcement.
According to him, “A well-informed public sector that understands the legal and institutional frameworks designed to promote transparency is equally essential.”
