The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, said on Tuesday, that whenever he checks case files and sees the amount stolen, he wonders how the country still exists.
In a statement by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the chairman stated this while receiving the management team of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, led by its chairman, Mohammed Shehu.
“When I look at some case files and see the humongous amount of money stolen, I wonder how we are still surviving. If you see some case files, you will weep. The way they move unspent budget allocation to private accounts in commercial banks before midnight at the end of a budget circle, you will wonder what kind of spirit drives us as Nigerians,” Olukoyede said.
He also said public corruption ranks as the biggest cause of corruption in Nigeria, adding that if public corruption was taken out of the polity, the country would fare better than many countries of the world.
“A situation where somebody would hold a public office or position of trust for years and you call him to account and he says, no, he would not account, is not acceptable,” he said.
He stressed that transparency and accountability should be embedded in both the public and private sectors for optimal development of the country.
According to him, corruption poses a huge challenge to the country, even as he expressed optimism that the prevention mechanisms of his leadership would ensure that the commission stays ahead of the devices of the corrupt to ensure that Nigerians have good governance experiences.
“The preventive framework for tackling corruption offers more prospects for results and impact. To this end, the EFCC now has a Department of Fraud Risk and Assessment and Control.
Peoplesmind