Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman,
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is cheaper to prevent
corruption than to fight it.
Magu said this on Thursday during
the Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Programme organised for the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Aviation Sector Workers Abuja.
He said that section six of the
EFCC Act required the commission to, in addition to its enforcement
responsibilities, take measures to prevent economic and financial crimes.
Magu explained that part of such
preventive measures was an aggressive sensitisation campaign, public
enlightenment and education in both public and private sectors.
The essence, according to him, is
to improve workplace consciousness of corruption and its corrosive effects and
encourage workers to embrace them.
“The EFCC alone couldn’t fight
and win the war against corruption in Nigeria.
“I would like to seize this
opportunity to remind us that, corruption affects all of us.
“We must resolve to fight it to a
standstill in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition to us that, “If
we don`t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.
“We must not allow that to
happen, for the sake of our children and the unborn generation.’’
Magu said that the airport, as the
most important gateway into the country, was strategic in many ways.
He said that since airport was
foreigners’ first contact with Nigeria, the impression they formed about the
country would be largely informed by the conduct of aviation professionals.
According to Magu, this is why
the conduct of aviation professionals is key to the efforts at national
rebirth, especially the critical economic mandate of attracting foreign direct
investment into the economy.
He enjoined aviation workers to
erase practices, attitudes and behaviours that could cast a slur on the
nation’s reputation, thereby making Nigeria an unattractive destination for
both tourists and investors.
The EFCC boss called on the
management of FAAN to put screening and monitoring systems in place to ensure
that airport staff delivered service to the best international practices.
“As things stand, except we
delude ourselves, we cannot deny that the twin evil of corruption and poor
infrastructure have blighted our aviation industry.
“Our presence here today is to
bring the message of anti-corruption to the management and staff of the Federal
Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other aviation workers.
“In recent times, many cases of
corruption have been reported in the sector, ranging from misuse of funds,
bribery, extortion to abuse of authority by officials at the airports.
“The implication of this is the
compelling need to strengthen our key integrity systems by consciously
eliminating practices that promote corrupt tendencies in the public sectors.
“It is gratifying that FAAN has
inaugurated its Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to ensure
transparency, accountability and good ethical practices,’’ he said.
Magu, while commending the
management of FAAN for the steps taken to prevent corruption, also advised the
staff to familiarise themselves with the EFCC Act and other laws affecting
their duties.
He said that the Commission was
determined more than ever before to rid all government Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDAs of all forms of fraudulent activities.
According to him, FAAN in
collaboration with the EFCC can fight corruption effectively.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr
Saleh Dunoma, commended EFCC for the initiative to take anti-corruption
campaign to the airport, saying that the airport was the best choice.
Dunoma said that FAAN was
determined to collaborate with EFCC in the fight against corruption especially
in the aviation sector.
He also called on the agency to
sustain the sensitisation campaign by ensuring that all the airports in the
country were covered as well as training of intelligence unit of aviation
security on anti-corruption.
Dunoma urged the participants to
pay attention to the presentation by the EFCC to help equip them to support
actively in the fight against corruption.
Not only cheaper , it is even better and clever. good statement for the first time.so how are you planning to do that sir because it is not enough to make statement but act on it .
ReplyDelete