EFCC To Increase Surveillance In Cross River
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it was stepping up surveillance activity in Cross River state and therefore charged citizens to give information on corrupt practices that would help in holding people, particularly elected leaders, accountable.
The Director of the Commission, Uyo Zonal office, Edeh Akpa Uchenna, made the remarks at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre, Calabar, during an interactive and awareness session with media practitioners in the state.
Uchenna, who led other senior officers of the zone to the media forum, explained that the zonal office in Uyo covers both Cross River and Akwa Ibom states but regretted that awareness of their proximity to citizens and residents in Cross River State had been minimal.
Harping on the evils of corruption, the EFCC Director said corruption has caused both an ordinary citizen in particular and the nation in general a lot in terms of denial of public amenities and benefits, and disclosed that the zonal office has, in the past few months, achieved over 18 convictions, covering various financial crimes.
He restated the importance of information from the public, adding, “We investigate and if the substance of fact of information so given is secure, the prosecution will be initiated. At the point where a case is charged to court, the charge sheet is a public document and at that point, the media may get involve to publicize proceedings”.
On the need for citizens to hold elected leaders accountable, Uchenna noted that “contracts for various projects are awarded year in and out but commensurate projects are not seen, yet people have information and they don’t report to EFCC nor rely on the federal government whistleblower policy.
“EFCC has been on the frontline in both the prevention and fight against corruption, but this does not mean we can do this alone without the collaborative effort of the media and other stakeholders, including the citizens.
“We must make anti-corruption fight work because our collective reputation is at stake. No nation attends prosperity and greatness when corruption has a stronghold on her citizens. This means that we must all make a deliberate decision to disentangle ourselves and Nigeria as a whole from the clawing grips of this hydra-headed monster called corruption and the impending doom called the economic and financial crime”.
He appealed to Journalists to give EFCC activities the needed publicity to also serve as a warning to fraudsters, and noted, “The media remains very crucial in this fight because it is the media that can drive the message and sensitization that is required to achieve prevention and also ensure that the old order of celebrating morally bankrupt individuals and known fraudsters is completely dislodged”.
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