Federal House of Reps. Committee on Financial Crimes in conjunction with EFCC organises workshop for State/Local Government officials on a theme: Anti-Corruption, Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency
By Olugbemi Femi – Abuja
The Federal House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Crimes in conjunction with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has organised a 3-days workshop for State and Local Government senior staff on the theme: Anti-Corruption, Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency.
The event which was declared open yesterday at the EFCC Academy in Karu, Abuja by the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukayode through the Commandant of the Academy, Mrs Chinwe Ndubeze said the workshop marks a turning point in the efforts to enforce a culture of accountability and integrity in the public service.
He commended the leadership of the Federal House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Crimes for the laudable initiative of exposing public officers from different tiers of government to best practices in fiscal transparency and accountable governance, and pointed out that the workshop afford them the opportunity to acquire knowledge on how to manage resources in an efficient manner and in line with extant laws and regulations.
He noted that the major challenges being faced by the public sector in Nigeria is traced to poor fiscal transparency, stressing that in every budget circle trillions of naira are appropriated to cater for the nation’s pressing infrastructural, social and economic needs but most times those resources are diverted or outrightly stolen through various sharp practices in the procurement value chain and the entire populace will suffer for it.
He said Nigeria as a country has no reason to be poor if those in authority at different levels of governance play by the rules, pointing out that corruption has become the albatross that has held the nation captive.
He charged the participants to see themselves as the agents that will change the narrative in the public sector of their states and local government by adhering to the rules and regulations that will help the country and also secure the future of generations unborn from the unpleasant experiences of having to write a statement under caution for alleged corruption.
Olukoyede said the commission under his leadership has established a new department of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control to proactively prevent corruption practices in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He added that the department will closely monitor the procurement process to ensure rules are obeyed and that contracts are executed in accordance with the law.
In his remarks, the House Committee Chairman on Financial Crimes, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe who was represented by the Acting Clerk of the committee, Mr. Adesoro Tolu Austin said it has become imperative for the House Committee to partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under the leadership trajectory of Mr Ola Olukayede which prioritize prevention over enforcement, hence the initiative of the training for state and local government officials especially the ongoing implementation of the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the local government authority in the country.
He encouraged the State government to domesticate and implement statutory laws against financial crimes and sensitize their staff and stakeholders to promote ethical reorientation to change the societal tolerance for corrupt practices, pointing out that the House Committee will continue to work with relevant Stakeholders to have a legal framework that will impose stiffer penalties for those who undermine the rules and extant laws.
In his goodwill message, the Director/CEO of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Hafsat Bakari, represented by Barrister Kingsley Ainaku said the training workshop is timely and a necessary intervention, particularly at a time when financial integrity and accountability should be in the forefront of governance at all levels in the country.
He pointed out that the fight against corruption requires not just enforcement but also a well-informed public sector that understands the legal and institutional frameworks designed to promote transparency.
“Bridging the knowledge gap in the provisions of our laws is essential to curbing corrupt practices and this workshop is a crucial step in equipping our government officials with the tools needed to uphold accountability in the public service at all levels”
He said the NFIU is committed to supporting efforts that will strengthen compliance and ensure that financial transactions adhere to global Anti-Corruption and anti-money laundering standards.
He charged the participants to take full advantage of the workshop not just as an academic exercise but as a call to action to ensure fiscal discipline and good governance, stressing that the NFIU is ready to collaborate with relevant Stakeholders in advancing policies and strategies that will help the country to combat financial crimes effectively.
The representatives of the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Juwaybiya Bademasiuy said the Bureau is ever ready to partner with other sister agencies and stakeholders to advance the cause of preventing corruption in the public sector at every level.
Also in separate remarks, the representative of the Honorable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Director Local Government, Alhaji Ismaila Yusuf and the ALGON Chairman, Jigawa State, Professor Abdulrahman Lawan commended the House Committee and EFCC for putting the workshop together for their officials to know the dos and don’ts about Anti-Corruption particularly as it relates to the legal framework that will guide them while carrying out their official assignments to advance good governance.
According to them, the issue of granting financial autonomy to the local government across the country is not news to them as they are already enjoying financial autonomy from the day they were elected Council Chairmen in Jigawa state, stressing that Governor Umar Namadi has given them the free hands to operate in accordance with the law.
They further said Jigawa is among the few states in the country that corruption cases are least recorded because Governor Namadi ensures transparency and accountability in governance, pointing out that the state in adhering to the calls to learn more on Anti-Corruption fight, turned out in large numbers to attend the workshop.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman/CEO of Barclays Global Consult Nig Ltd, the consulting firm handling the workshop, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole commended the House Committee of Financial Crimes and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who gave the company the opportunity to midwife the workshop, pointing out that it is an opportunity for state and local government officials to know the legal implications of some of their actions to guide against any misconduct.
He said aside the experts that are selected to handle relevant topics that will expose them to the rudiments of the Anti-Corruption practices in Nigeria, the company has also packaged all relevant information needed to equip them in the subsector in a booklet that will continue to be useful to them even after the workshop in Abuja.
He charged them to make judicious use of the opportunity provided by the training to acquire relevant knowledge that will help them to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively without running afoul of the laws.
He said the training workshop is meant for the 774 local government officials and 36 states of the Federation but because of space and tight schedule in some states, the company has decided to organize the training session for each zone per time.
He noted that any state that may not meet up during their zone session, will have the opportunity to join the next zone to participate in the workshop.
