The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called on members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, across the country to brace up for hard tackles against the scourge of economic and financial crimes in order to accelerate economic development of Nigeria.
He gave the charge in Kano on Thursday while addressing corps members of Batch A, Stream 1 at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Kusallah Dam in Karaye Local Government of Kano State. He challenged the youths to be more resourceful, innovative and enterprising to defeat the monster of corruption and thereby raise up the bar of growth in the economy. “The message of the EFCC to you this morning is that, begin to look inward and challenge your creative abilities to bring up ideas, perspectives, and drives that can grow the economy”, he said.
The EFCC’s boss, who spoke through the Head, Public Affairs Department, Kano Zonal Command, Idris Isiyaku noted that corruption was the root cause of all the challenges facing Nigeria which include, unemployment, insecurity, poverty, diseases, low life expectancy, hunger, robbery, kidnapping, among others. “Every challenge around us today can be traced to the consequences of corruption. The rising troubles of unemployment, insecurity, poverty, diseases, low life expectancy, hunger, robbery, kidnapping, and others are the results of mismanagement, misapplication, and misplacement of our resources by those entrusted with them. We have come to a situation of dire straits in our individual and national lives, all because of the menace of corruption,’’, he said.
Olukoyede stressed that economic and financial crimes directly put the fortunes of the economy and polity of the nation in jeopardy. He particularly stated that “criminality of such dimension puts foreign direct investment in uncertainty, slows down genuine efforts to build formidable structures in industries and greatly throws open the nation to avoidable complications”. He, therefore, enjoined corps members and other Nigerians to have a development-focused perspective and “see corruption as an enemy to be destroyed. A new insight into the disservice which corruption represents should make youths like you willingly decide to be change agents, active foot soldiers against corruption, community advocates and strong resisting force against corruption, whistle-blowers or intelligence-gatherers”.
At the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iseyin, Oyo State, Olukoyede, who was represented by Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DSE Egbodofo Olumide charged corps members to be dynamic and effective in driving the anti-corruption fight in their places of primary assignments. One way of doing this, he said, is by mobilizing Nigerians against corrupt practices through robust public campaigns and sensitization. He gave the same charge in Ilorin, Kwara State at the NYSC Orientation Camp, in Yikpata , Edun Local Government Area of the State. Speaking through Superintendent of the EFCC, SE Gbenga Adewoye , he said poverty and unemployment in the country should not be a justification for defrauding innocent persons of their hard- earned income. “You are the leaders of tomorrow and this country belongs to all of us. I urge you all this morning to say No to all forms of economic and financial crimes so that the country would be better for all of us”, he said.
Also in Enugu at the NYSC Orientation Camp, located at Awgu in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Olukoyede warned corps members against internet crimes, pointing out that it was not a sustainable way of life. While speaking through SE Akinnifesi Akinlolu, he stressed that, “we are calling on you to embrace hard work and shun crime. Yahoo-yahoo is not a sustainable way of life”.
In Lagos, Olukayode charged corps members to embrace community development services, maintaining that youths should always come forward to develop their immediate environments. Represented by DSE Titilola Tokan-Lawal at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana Ipaja, he called on corps members to join the EFCC/NYSC CD Group as it will avail them an opportunity for an enduring relationship with the Commission and other stakeholders. “It will also avail you the opportunity to work with the advocacy arm of the Commission and be in a position to serve as change agents by helping to mould kids across the nation through the Integrity Clubs established in such institutions with the help of the EFCC”, he said.
Similar messages were relayed to corps members in Abuja, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Benin-city and other locations across the country.