Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, on Tuesday April 29, 2014 charged employees of both public and private institutions to take up the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes in order to make Nigeria a better society.

He made the charge at a one -day sensitization workshop on Anti- corruption organized by the Anti- corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, in conjunction with the EFCC.

In his address, Lamorde who was represented by Bolaji Salami, Director, Organisational Support, said the sensitization programme became imperative to assist workers to take ownership of the fight against corruption.  “The essence is to take the anti-graft campaign to the workplace, and encourage workers to have a buy-in, as the EFCC alone cannot fight and win the war against corruption in Nigeria,” he said.

Lamorde who commended the Ministry of Women Affairs, observed  that the sensitization programme was a key part of the Commission’s preventive measures in the fight against economic and financial crimes.

“This partnership will go a long way to show that Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is a key player in the fight against corruption particularly in the development of women with equal rights and corresponding responsibilities in Nigeria,”  he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina who was represented by Mrs. R.A Galadima, commended the EFCC and the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the ministry for organizing the programme. 

According to her, corruption is rampant in public and private sectors of the economy: “it takes the form of bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, sexual harassment, falsification of official documents, over-invoicing, unlawful levies, irregular procurement processes, discriminatory recruitment,” she said.

The minister further said that the ACTU was not an instrument for witch-hunt but ethical re-orientation and optimal performance. “I hereby call on all well-meaning Nigerians to play active roles in the crusade to fight corruption by committing to public integrity”.

Media & Publicity Unit.

30th April, 2014