EFCC goes hard on fraud prone government agencies

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a risk assessment exercise on Federal Government agencies as part of efforts towards fighting corruption in the country.

The disclosure was made by the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, in New York during which he stated that the agency had built its capacity to understand fraud risk assessment, and had also started implementing the same.

He further added that the move is a measure that would help the anti-corruption agency detect the government agencies that are vulnerable to fraud.

Bawa said: “The idea is for us to advise the government on the vulnerability of those agencies to fraud and corruption.

“We have already engaged the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources; they are willing to partner with us towards carrying fraud risk assessment on all the parastatals under the ministry.”

Speaking further, he said the agency understands the art of fighting corruption and fighting corrupt people, adding that it would do its best to achieve its mandate of combating corruption in the country.

“Fighting corruption is about looking at the system, looking at the loopholes and advising the government on what to do regarding that. EFCC is working towards intelligence-driven investigation and that is why one of the things I did is to establish a full-fledged department of intelligence,” he said.

“In addition, when we talk about the catalogue of stealing and receiving stolen goods as enshrined in the Criminal Code; if you steal and you are convicted, it is seven years imprisonment and if you receive stolen goods, it is 14 years imprisonment.

“Our study of that is the fact that without those who are receiving stolen goods, stealing will be prevented; that is why they have high punishment for those receiving stolen goods,” Bawa added.

The EFCC boss said the commission was working tirelessly to focus on gatekeepers in money laundering with the re-boosting and improving of the activities of the Special Control Unit against money laundering.

Bawa said gatekeepers are non-designated financial institutions as provided for in the Money Laundry Prosecution Act and include tax consultants, car dealers, real estate managers, lawyers and accountants, among others.

The EFCC boss was at the just concluded 3-day UN General Assembly Special Session on Corruption which focused on “Challenges, Measures to Prevent and Combat Corruption and Strengthen International Cooperation.” He was at the event to present Nigeria’s position.

The EFCC boss said the take-home point from the UN special session was for countries to strengthen cooperation and sharing of intelligence information to help combat corruption.

He also noted that work had been on top gear and negotiations were continuing, to repatriate some funds stolen from Nigeria.

(NAN)

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Francis Ogwo
The young and goal driven writer and cinematographer started his journalism as a print journalist in Kaduna in 2005 writing for Kaduna Chronicles Newspapers, Liberator Newspapers where he became the South Bureau Chief. In 2008, he moved into TV production with an employment into Siverbird Television and Rhythm Fm as a Correspondent. He got certified by Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria(ITPAN) in 2009. After five years of hardwork and training, he was employed as Associate Producer, Moments With Mo and subsequently Producer, Playground on HipTV. Francis currently majors in documentaries and high profile scripts for news and movies. He is currently a Senior Contents Producer at News Central TV

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