EFCC seeks youth’s support in anti-corruption crusade
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has called on youths across the country to join hands with the commission in the fight against corruption.
Olukoyede stated this on Thursday in his remarks during a town hall meeting commemorating the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day in Sokoto State.
Represented by the Zonal Director of the commission, Nnwanneka Nwokike, the chairman said corruption affects every age group but bites harder against the prospects and possibilities of youths.
“This makes it more binding on young people to tackle it more fiercely than any other age group.
“The scourge of graft limits and vitiates the opportunities of youths for self-actualization. Every young person needs an equal opportunity for self-expression, but this is impossible in societies where favouritism, nepotism, partisan and other extraneous considerations tilt opportunities in favour of some privileged people.”
The chairman further explained that corruption makes youths vulnerable to fraudulent practices, with the allure of easy money drawing young people into a vortex of criminality.
“Youths need collaborative efforts for progressive innovations. This cannot be achieved in a corrupt environment.
“They also need a united voice to challenge unsavoury practices at every level of government. They need to come together to be watchdogs and active forces against any form of corruption. No other age will do it for them.”Related News
He, however, suggested a route that youths can take to achieve unity in the fight against corruption, which includes deliberate synergy against graft, lending forces and voices in support of activities of anti-corruption agencies.
Others include exposing tendencies and actions that run counter to accountability and right values in the neighborhood as well as making a decision against corruption.
He assured whistleblowers of adequate protection of their identity while revealing that the zonal office has opened a complaint box where members of the public can drop their complaints in the form of a petition to the commission.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Civil Society Organization in the state, Comrade Bello Shehu, commended the agency for always collaborating with the CSO in the state.
He said the establishment of the Zonal office in the state has helped in many ways in sanitizing many sectors in the state against corrupt practices.
While assuring that the CSO in the state is ready to work in synergy with the agency to fight corruption, he calls on the zonal director to organize orientation with the CSO, especially as it relates to the recent autonomy granted to the local government in the state.
Participants at the town hall meeting include Integrity Club from Shehu Shagari College of Education, Zero Tolerance Club from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and Shehu Shagari College of Education as well as corp members.
