July 9, 2021

Mr Abduraheed Bawa, the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the commission is ever ready to execute its mandates, only when there is good governance which remains the critical element to do so.

According to Bawa, the best way to fight corruption is to offer good governance.

Bawa made the observation on Thursday in Abuja, when he received the AU delegation on the Country Review Mission (CRM), who are in Nigeria to assess the country’s ongoing second Peer Review processes.

The aim of the review process is to assess the activities of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Nigeria for validation.

The AU team, as part of its objectives is in Nigeria to also assess the country’s economic challenges, good governance, food sufficiency, health challenge, security as well as political activities in Nigeria.

Addressing the AU delegates, Bawa said the process was  commendable and it was an initiative that the EFCC welcomed in earnest, as it would address some loopholes in governance.

“We are happy to have you here this morning for this important exercise as it has been directed by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to review the whole exercise of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) for validation.

“And, I wish to state here that we will give you all the necessary cooperation, whether it is confrontational, we are ready to have that from you, and all that you need would be given to you,” Bawa said.

According to him, the commission believed in fighting corruption and this could only be achieved with good governance.

“We believe that fighting corruption is really on when you have good governance taking place among the generality of what the government is all about.

“And there is no way you can determine this because no government has monopoly of knowledge, but by reviewing itself, comparing with other governments across the continent, ” Bawa added.

Prof. Janneh Abdoulie, Head Panelist on AU CRM, explained that the AU mission in Nigeria was on verification permission and to dialogue with stakeholders including EFCC on the review process in the country.

Abdoulie added that EFCC could not be left out being one of the major stakeholders in the whole exercise.

“We are here now to have the dialogue with various institutions and personalities involved in this, and we cannot do that without talking to the EFCC, as one of the major stakeholders in this whole exercise,” he said. (NAN)