Governor Obaseki Scores EFCC High On Integrity

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on August 10, 2017 in Benin City commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for bringing integrity into the fight against corruption in the country.

 

"You are people of integrity. We have tracked your activities before you came to the State", he said.

 

The governor stated this when he received officers of the Commission who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

 

He expressed delight over the setting up of an EFCC Office in the State adding that the coming of the Commission would be of much value to the state. "Corruption has almost become an acceptable norm that even primary school pupils now cheat in exams."  

 

The governor said the state was willing to partner with the Commission in fighting corruption and other forms of economic and financial crimes in the state.

 

"We believe that you can be a major resource for us by running courses and programmes in schools and ministries to awaken their consciousness", he said.

 

He bemoaned the rate of corruption and waste in the country saying, "Even with the recession we have more than enough to take us far beyond where we are now but because of those corrupt tendencies we are unnecessarily stunted."

 

The governor charged the EFCC to be thorough in screening petitions so that innocent people do not suffer unnecessarily as some people may want to be vindictive.

 

Earlier, the Benin office zonal Head of the EFCC, Mailafia Yakubu who led the EFCC team told the governor that the essence of the visit was to officially inform the governor of the setting up of an EFCC office in the state.

 

He said it became imperative to open an office in Benin City due to its strategic position and the need to take the fight against corruption to the grassroots so that more Nigerians can take ownership of the fight.

 

He assured the governor of EFCC professionalism in the discharge of its duties. "Those whose hands are clean need not fear. Those who have stolen the commonwealth of the people or defrauded innocent people of their hard earned money have murdered sleep and shall sleep no more."