Anti-Graft War: Reps Canvass Support For EFCC

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, and Financial Crimes, Hon. Rabe Nasir, has called on all well-meaning Nigerians to lend their support to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to enable it achieve its mandate of ridding the country of all forms of corruption.

Nasir made appeal during the 2010 budget defence by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri.

According to him, “It is the responsibility of the National Assembly to accord all institutions, ministries and agencies of government the desired support and co-operation in other to meet the yearnings and aspiration of all Nigerians. The EFCC activities in this country are not only inevitable but it (EFCC) is necessarily the catalyst towards ridding this country of corruption and all forms of economic and financial crimes.

“The EFCC has done a lot and is still doing a lot. I feel this committee has a responsibility of providing the necessary impetus for the Commission to impart more positively on Nigeria and Nigerians. Like I said, which I repeat today, the task of fighting corruption as carried out by institutions in this country especially the EFCC is one that we can either make or mar and is one that attracts the contribution and cooperation of all Nigerians. It is not only the responsibility of government to fight for us. Every citizen of this country has a responsibility to fight corruption.

We all have the civil responsibility to help the government to help the people and that is why it is not a matter of leadership or personality working in an institution like the EFCC. It is about the vision and mission of the institution of the EFCC and the need of Nigerians to be served through the instrumentality of this very important commission in order for Nigerians to live happily and be more recognized internationally”.

“The Commission has come a long way. In a span of about only six years, the Commission has recorded tremendous achievements which must be commended and that is why we believe that Nigeria should still offer understanding and prayers to the management of the EFCC so that we could all benefit from what they can do,” he stated further.

While stressing that the agency is too strategic to be ignored, Hon. Rabe dismissed insinuations that there was any friction between the Committee and the EFCC.

In her own remarks, Mrs. Waziri thanked the lawmaker for calling on all Nigerians to take up the gauntlet in the fight against corruption. She said the crusade should not be left for EFCC, as the Commission alone cannot eradicate corruption from Nigeria. “ Nigeria needs all patriotic Nigerians in the fight against corruption.” She enjoined all well-meaning Nigerians to team up with the Commission in its desire to eradicate corruption.

After giving a detailed account of the 2009 budget performance of the Commission, a presentation that was adopted and commended by members of the committee, Waziri later presented a budget proposal of N7.6 billion for 2010. She thereafter fielded questions from the lawmakers who later adjourned the sitting to review the request.