EFCC Applauds NDDC For Embracing Change, Harps On Transparency

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for refining its processes to uphold the principles of probity.

He also stressed the need to uphold transparency and accountability in the conduct of affairs in the country.

Olukoyede made the declarations when a delegation of the NDDC management, led by its Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, paid him a courtesy visit at the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja, said that he was impressed by the “Rewind to Rebirth” initiative of the Commission.

A statement signed by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, on Friday, quoted Olukoyede as saying, “The five minutes of interaction with the MD left me with a different perception of NDDC. I want to congratulate you and also thank you for your readiness and commitment to bring about change.

“Maybe, we will begin to see an NDDC that is a symbol of pride, accountability, transparency, and being 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. From his presentation, you can see that he is ready to bring a change, and that is the exact thing that we stand for in the EFCC. We can build a system of accountability, transparency, and integrity in Nigeria.”

Olukoyede used the occasion to urge all public officeholders 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.

He observed: “Always have it in 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 positions of trust in everything they do.

“That has always been my 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, maybe someone who benefited from you, would be the one to expose you.”

He further stressed that the challenge of corruption demanded that only leaders with high morals should hold positions of trust, stating: “Fundamentally, Nigerians are good people. The only problem that we have is the system in which we operate—a system that 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, noting: “We are not going to compromise. We have been called names and maligned, but we are resolute.

“We are moving forward because somebody has to do this job and we will do it and deliver. I told Nigerians upon my assumption of office that we are going to use the instrumentality of the anti-corruption fight to build the economy and ensure good governance.”

Olukoyede assured that the EFCC would continue to assist the NDDC in achieving its mandate, noting: “We have been working with you to make recoveries; we will continue to do more.

“The collaboration is something we need to take to the next level, and 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.”

Speaking earlier, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer explained that the visit to EFCC headquarters was in appreciation of the financial recoveries the Commission made on behalf of the NDDC, which he said had helped in developing the Niger Delta region.

He said: “We want, as management, to thank the EFCC for supporting the NDDC to make the recoveries that have helped the region and the Commission. Mr. Chairman, this is to let you know that the NDDC is investing the recoveries in projects.

“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.”

Ogbuku said further: “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 rewinding to rebirth, because we just have to go back a little to see where we started and what we need to do in the future.