In a bid to combat the abuse of contracts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called upon the Presidency, the Federal Judicial Commission, and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to furnish the agency with their respective anti-corruption strategies.
According to the EFCC, all MDAs are required to submit their anti-corruption strategies by March 1 as part of the agency’s concerted efforts to curb corrupt practices.
This directive was communicated through separate letters addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, the Permanent Secretary of the State House at Aso Rock Villa, the Chairman of the National Assembly Commission, and the Secretary of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
The EFCC emphasized that this directive aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to combating corruption within MDAs, evident in the launch of the Fraud Risk Assessment Prevention and Control Project for MDAs in January.
The correspondence stated, “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.”
It further specified that responses to this request should be submitted by the close of business on March 1, 2024.
A source within the agency revealed that this directive had been hinted at in January during a Public Engagement on Youth, Religion, and the Fight against Corruption, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to preventing corruption through proactive measures.
“This correspondence to key government institutions marks a bold step towards jumpstarting the corruption prevention agenda of the EFCC under the leadership of Ola Olukoyede. It signifies a departure from business as usual as the agency aims to prevent corruption to the greatest extent possible,” the source stated.