The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called for greater public ownership of the fight against corruption and financial crimes, stressing that the battle to rid Nigeria of graft must not be left to the Commission and other security agencies alone.
This call was made on Thursday at a one-day capacity-building workshop organized for media practitioners and civil society organisations at the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
Speaking at the event, the Head of the Media and Publicity Unit of the Commission, Mr. Dele Oyewale, emphasised that corruption has become a deeply rooted national problem that requires collective responsibility and citizen participation to overcome.
“There’s a need for public ownership in the fight against corruption and financial crimes. Every Nigerian should see this fight as one for all Nigerians, not just for the EFCC,” Oyewale said.
He lamented that corruption has continued to cripple Nigeria’s development, linking it to the country’s low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and declining life expectancy rate.
“It’s unfortunate that because of corruption, Nigeria’s GDP has remained very low, with the average life expectancy of men and women standing at 49 and 53 years respectively. When you trace the foundation of all these problems- poor infrastructure, weak institutions, and high poverty rate – you’ll find corruption at the root,” he noted.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Zonal Director of the EFCC, Enugu Zonal Directorate, CE Daniel Isei, said the workshop was part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen collaboration with the media and civil society in building a preventive and participatory approach to tackling corruption.
