Women urged to lead fight against corruption

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has called on Nigerian women to lead the fight against corruption. 

He made the call on Tuesday,  March 24, 2015 at a one-day sensitization workshop organised for women, civil society and community- based groups by the EFCC, in collaboration with African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Lamorde, who was represented by Mr. Wakili Mohammed, Director,  Internal Affairs, EFCC said that, for women to play active role in the fight against corruption and financial crimes, they needed to be key players in the process. According to him, “the power to liberate our nation as one blighted by deep-rooted corruption, lies in the hands of  women”.

The EFCC boss described "corruption as the bane of the nation's development, often resulting in low spending on education, healthcare, and other social services that directly affect women and children".

Also speaking, Dr (Mrs) Kemi Wale-Olaitan, Director, Association for the Advancement of Womanhood, stressed the need for women to be mainstreamed into the gender policy on corruption.  “Women  should be considered and empowered to nurture the coming generations on the importance of anti-crime crusades, for  a better today and a stronger tomorrow, for changed adults and passionate youth",she said. 

In her presentation, Mrs Betty Akeredolu, Founder/President, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, challenged women to be change agents in the fight against corruption. She urged them to come up with good ideas and be ready to partner with EFCC and other NGOs to be able to make the desired change in their various  communities and the country at large.

Head, Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, EFCC, Aisha Larai Musa, in her presentation, said that the EFCC Act empowers it to investigate, prosecute and prevent economic and financial crimes. She applauded the participants for turning up for the programme and encouraged them to get acquainted with the activities of the EFCC in order to be able to partner effectively with it, in the fight against corruption. 

The one- day workshop was one of the sensitization programmes of the EFCC, targeted at different interest groups, to engage them in the fight against corrupt practices. The workshop was attended by representatives of the civil society, community- based groups and women from all walks of life.