Politics
CORRUPTION: How is Nigeria Still Surviving, Because If You See Some Case Files, You Will Weep – EFCC Chairman
Israel Adeleke
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Tuesday decried the vastness of stealing by corrupt elements in the country.
Olukoyede said that, anytime he checks case files and sees the amount of money stolen, he wonders how the country still exists, adding that if Nigerians saw some case files they would weep.
In a statement made available on Tuesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the chairman stated this while receiving the management team of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission led by its Chairman, Mohammed Shehu.
In the statement, Olukoyede was quoted as saying, “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.
Furthermore, he said that, public corruption ranks as the biggest cause of corruption in Nigeria. He pointed out that if public corruption was taken out of the polity, the country would fare better than many countries of the world.
He said, “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 stressed that transparency and accountability should be embedded in both the public and private sectors for optimal development of the country.
The chairman however, 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.
“He insisted that the preventive framework of tackling corruption offers more prospects of results and impact. To this end, the EFCC now has a Department of Fraud Risk and Assessment and Control
“Let’s look at our system of revenue generation. It is a system that allows leakages in mobilisation and appropriation of funds. If we don’t look at the system, we will continue to chase shadows.
“In this direction, we are not just going to investigate and recover; what we have decided to do in the EFCC is Policy Review.
“If we can block some of these leakages and have 50 per cent of capital project execution in Nigeria, the country would be fine,” the statement added.
Also speaking at the gathering, the chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu, lauded the longstanding collaboration between RMAFC and the EFCC.
He explained that the visit was motivated by the need to explore more areas of collaboration between the two agencies of government, especially in the direction of recovery of unremitted or lost revenues of government.
He said, “It is important to bring to the fore that the collaboration between RMAFC and EFCC is crucial in addressing the challenges of unremitted revenue to the Federation Account.
“On this note, we are calling on EFCC for more collaboration, not only in the area of enforcement but also intelligence gathering and data sharing as regards government revenue from any source.” he said.
He however, called on the EFCC to further assist his Commission in the area of capacity building of its staff on revenue monitoring.
Fawaz Adebisi
Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State has given consent to the readjustment of workdays for civil servants in the state.
This was made known on Tuesday through a circular from the Office of the Head of Service, Samuel Aina Ayanleye and issued in a statement by Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson of the Osun State Governor.
As gathered, this is in response to the high transportation costs in Nigeria.
Adeleke made this move few weeks after its neighboring state, Ogun state reduced its civil servants workdays to 3 per week.
However, in addition, the circular stated that Ademola also approved an extension of payment of palliatives for public servants for the next two months.
Also, it stated that the action was in pursuance of Governor Adeleke’s commitment to the well-being of workers, and a response to the present economic situation in the Country.
“By this Circular, therefore, and until another directive is given, the working day schedules for Public Servants in the state have been approved as follows:
“Public Servants on GL.01 to GL.10 – Three days a week. Public Servants on GL12 to GL.17 – Four days a week.”
The Circular further noted that the arrangements exclude those on essential duties such as medical personnel, security officers, political office holders and Accounting Officers.
“It is also important to note that arrangements as to which days each public servant in the above categories will be at work shall be arranged by the Accounting Officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.
“The Governor has also graciously approved the continuation of payment of the agreed palliatives to public servants in the state for the next two months pending the commencement of the new minimum wage.
“All Accounting Officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of governments, including local governments, were further directed to comply.”
Fawaz Adebisi
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has assured Nigerians that normalcy will return to the land, preparing to go into his seven days seclusion.
The monarch, in a statement through his spokesperson, Moses Olafare on Monday said the rite is the most sacred moment for him on the throne which he utilises to interact with his ancestors and pray for the people, the Oduduwa race worldwide, as well as mankind in general.
According to the statement, Ogunwusi stressed that his major request during the rite would be the betterment of the people in the country.
He said,”this time around, I want To pray and seek for the face of our Creator to intervene on the current economic situation.
“Things are very tough and people are feeling the hardship, I want to pray for all and sundry and specially urge the youths to exercise patience so that we will not used our hands to destroy our country.
“I know that people are passing through difficult periods in which they are not finding life easy and truly this is a challenging period.
“But I know that after this festival, normalcy will return to the country, as the problems we’re facing will soon come to an end,” Ooni said.
Also, he urged the government to be diligent in serving the populace by making bountiful dividends of democracy for the citizenry.
Fawaz Adebisi
The Abia State Government has set a date to start implementing the new minimum wage.
Okey Kanu, the state Commissioner for Information revealed on Monday that the minimum wage implantation will kick off by October.
Kanu said this while briefing the press on the outcome of the week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by the state governor, Alex Otti.
In his words, “will cut across all categories of workers.”
Speaking of other outcomes of the meeting, he stressed that the state government is also set to commence the construction of 17 court halls across the 17 local government areas of the state.
He further disclosed that the state Ministry of Health will next week organise a free medical outreach at Ugwunnagbo.
In the same vein, he added that there would be free medical consultations, maternal and child healthcare services and free diagnostic tests.
