The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has tasked public officials to uphold transparency and accountability across the country.
He extolled the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for refining its processes to uphold the principles of probity.
Olukoyede, who spoke when a delegation of the NDDC management, led by its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, visited the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja, said that he was impressed by the “Rewind to Rebirth” initiative of the Commission.
A statement by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, quoted the EFCC chairman to have said that: “The five minutes of interaction with the MD left me with a different perception of NDDC.
“I want to congratulate and also thank you for your readiness and commitment to bring change.”
The EFCC chairman expressed hope that Nigerians will see an NDDC that is a symbol of pride, accountability, transparency and able to deliver on its mandate.
“That is what the NDDC should stand for and I want to thank you for bringing that to the table.
While acknowledging that Ogbuku, from his presentation, seems like a leader who “is ready to bring positive change,” Olukoyede said “that is the exact thing that we stand for in EFCC.”
He said it is possible to build a system of accountability, transparency and integrity in Nigeria.
Olukoyede used the occasion to urge all public office holders to uphold probity, transparency and accountability in the management of the finances they hold in trust for the public knowing that a day of reckoning would come.
“Always have it at the back of your mind that while you are on this side today, you might be on the other side tomorrow.
“Let it be the guiding principle for those in position of trust in everything they do. That has always been my own guiding principle, because you will not be there forever.
“You can protect certain things today, but if you leave, you will discover that the person closest to you, that may be someone who benefitted from you, would be the one to expose you,” he said.
Olukoyede further stressed that the challenge of corruption demanded that only leaders with high morals should hold positions of trust.
He said Nigerians are good people, insisting however that the country’s system allows fraud to flourish.
“But if you take the same Nigerian who is corrupt in our system to an environment with strict regulatory compliance and structures, you will discover that he will behave.”
The EFCC boss assured that the Commission would continue to do its job with determination and courage without compromise.
Olukoyede stressed that the EFCC would continue to assist the NDDC to achieve its mandate.
“With what you have put on the table I think we are ready to work with you to strengthen your systems and processes and to take the NDDC to the next level,” he said.
Earlier, The NDDC boss, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, explained that the visit was in appreciation of the financial recoveries the EFCC made on behalf of the interviention agency which he said had helped in developing the Niger Delta.
Ogbuku told the EFFC chairman that the NDDC is investing the recoveries in projects across the region.
“At a point, we will invite the EFCC to join us in commissioning some of those projects. It will be a sign that the recoveries made by the EFCC are used to support the development of the Niger Delta.
“Apart from thanking you, we also came to let you know what the NDDC has been doing so far. Many people had a very dark impression of the NDDC but we thought that we should look forward and not backward.
“So, we came up with the policy of rewind to rebirth, because we just have to go back a little to see where we started and what we needed to do in future.
“We went back to our books, interacted with previous managements to know where things went wrong. One of the areas that we have to rebirth the NDDC was in the area of transparency.”
He called for collaboration between the two federal agencies, saying that it “will further strengthen and guide the NDDC in its operations.
He said: I also want to use this opportunity to plead with Mr. Chairman that before our corporate governance performances and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) are passed, you should delegate some of your officers to look at the documents and probably make your input in areas where you think you can further contribute in strengthening us as an organisation.
“We also plead for further technical support in the area of training our finance staff in financial management.”