The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has instructed the Presidency, the Federal Judicial Commission, and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to provide their anti-corruption strategies.
The directive is part of the EFCC’s efforts to prevent contract abuse. MDAs must submit their strategies to the EFCC by March 1, 2024.
The EFCC sent separate letters to the Chief of Staff to the President, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, the Chairman of the National Assembly Commission, and the Secretary of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
The instruction aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s goal to combat corruption in MDAs and the launch of the Fraud Risk Assessment Prevention and Control Project for MDAs in January.
The letter partly reads: “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.
“Kindly note that the commission expects your response to this request on or before the close of business on Friday, 1st day of March, 2024.”
An authoritative figure within the agency mentioned that hints of the directive were previously given in January. The EFCC aims to minimize corruption by taking proactive measures.
“The correspondence to the key government institutions is a bold effort to jumpstart the corruption prevention agenda of the Ola Olukoyede-led EFCC,” the source said.
“The anti-corruption boss had hinted of this move at a Public Engagement on Youth, Religion and the Fight against Corruption and Launch of Fraud Risk Assessment for MDAs it held in Abuja on January 31, 2024. It is no more business as usual. We want to prevent corruption as much as possible,” he added.
