EFCC tasks Presidency, NASS, MDAS on anti-corruption strategies
Innocent Raphael
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a bid to step up efforts to stop contract abuse, has asked the Presidency, the National Assembly Commission, the Federal Judicial Service Commission and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to furnish the commission with their anti-corruption strategies.
Stating that the directive was in line with the agenda of President Tinubu’s government to tackle corruption in MDAs, the anti-graft agency instructed all the MDAs to submit their strategies on or before March 1.
The EFCC had made the demand in separate letters to the Chief of Staff to the President; the Permanent Secretary, State House, Aso Rock Villa; the Chairman, National Assembly Commission and the Secretary, Federal Judicial Service Commission.
The anti-graft agency also added that decision was also in line with the launch of Fraud Risk Assessment Prevention and Control Project for MDAs by the President in January.
The letter reads in part: “The aim of the project is to assess extant anti- corruption measures in MDAs with particular focus on identifying gaps, vulnerabilities, develop strategies and techniques to mitigate corruption and other financial crimes prevalent in MDAs.
“You are kindly requested to forward to the commission a detailed anti- corruption policy or strategy deployed by your office to prevent abuse in contract and procurement processes.”
“Kindly note that the commission expects your response to this request on or before the close of business on Friday, 1st day of March, 2024.”
A source in the anti-graft also said: “The correspondence to the key government institutions is a bold effort to jumpstart the corruption prevention agenda of the Ola Olukoyede-led EFCC.
“The anti-corruption boss had hinted of this move at a Public Engagement on Youth, Religion and the Fight against Corruption and Launch of Fraud Risk Assessment for MDAs it held in Abuja on January 31, 2024.
“It is no more business as usual. We want to prevent corruption as much as possible.”
