By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it is saving humongous amount of money fighting corruption through its preventive framework.
The Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale gave the explanation while responding to questions from journalists at the end of a one-day capacity Building for Jornalists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city over the weekend.
Speaking, Oyewale reiterated the Commission’s belief in the framework that it is cheaper to prevent a crime or fraudulent act from being performed than run after perpetrators when the deed has been done.
He explained that with the framework, the Commission now works with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the country by monitoring award of contract, track release of funds, movements of funds and progress of contracts.
He appealed to all Nigerians to come together to join forces with the EFCC to drive the preventive framework together.
He said, “It is cheaper to prevent a criminal, a fraudulent act from being performed than to run after them when the deed has already been done. The nation has been saved quite a humongous amount of money as a sort of preventive framework.
“And that’s why we are saying that every Nigerian should come together to join forces with the EFCC for us to drive this preventive framework together.”
When asked if the framework is yielding the desired result, the EFCC Spokesman said, “Yes, it’s working. And I will tell you why it is working with us in the EFCC and how are we doing it.
“We have ministry departments and agencies, (MDAs) across the country. So what we did was to write to them to tell us their corruption preventive mechanisms in their various constituencies.
“Now, when a contract is awarded, what we are doing now is that we track the release of the fund. We track the movement of the fund. And we track the progress of the contracts.
“So it is difficult for anyone. And we, as the EFCC is connected to the payment platform of MDAs. So when any payment is made for anything, we know. And we follow the funds.
“By following the fund, it is difficult for anybody now to either divert, to misapply, to steal, or to embezzle. Because we are connected to the payment platform and we follow the funds. We are following the funds in such a way that it is difficult for anybody to do anything, that is fraudulent.
“If we notice that you are trying to move the fund in a way that is at variance with the terms of the contract, you’ll receive a call from us and tell you our observations, and maybe invite you for discussion, if need be. So it is easier now to prevent money from being stolen.”
Speaking on the effort of the EFCC under the watch of Ola Olukoyede in the last two years, the Commission’s Spokesman said the period has impressive performance with facts and figures to show.
He said, within the period, five former governors, and five former ministers had been arraigned with trials ongoing, aside from so many landmark convictions.
He added that in the first year alone, there were about 4,111 convictions as well as a number of recoveries made in different currencies.
“It has been two years of very impressive performance with facts and figures to show. In those two years, five former governors were arraigned and trials are ongoing.
“Five former ministers were arraigned. Trials are ongoing. We have so many landmark convictions.
“In the first year, we have 4,111 convictions. And we have quite a number of recoveries in different currencies. But beyond that, the framework and modality of prevention is at the heart of all of this. It is cheaper to prevent a criminal, a fraudulent act from being performed than to run after them when the deed has already been done”, Oyewale added.
Also responding to questions, on the essence of the capacy building, the Acting Zonal Director, Ibadan Directorate, Assistant Commander of EFCC (ACE 1), Hauwa Garba Ringim said the Commission, recognising the roles of media and the CSOs saw the need to develop their capacities as key stakeholders on the trends of financial crimes in a bid to enlist their support.
Hajia Ringim who spoke earlier on behalf of the EFCC boss, Ola Olukoyede said the Commission appreciates the effort of the civil society and the media on the roles they have been playing in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
She said, “As I said earlier, the Chairman always appreciates the effort of the civil society and the media on the role they have been playing in the fight against economic and financial crime. And that’s why whatever we are doing, the CSOs and the media are always at the forefront. And we have to really call them to engage with them.”
