Joseph Bakare
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Public Complaints Commission, PCC, have restated their resolve to strengthen and deepen the existing collaboration between them with a view to ridding the country of corruption and social injustice.
This pact was made in Ilorin on Thursday, October 24, 2024, when the Commissioner, PCC, Kwara Office, Barrister Falola Olanrewaju, paid a courtesy visit to the Zonal Director, Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, Harry Erin at the Commission’s office.
Falola said that the visit was to strengthen the existing partnership enabling both organizations to work together. According to him, “The PCC seeks to curb social and administrative injustice within the society through a conciliatory approach. PCC is a grievance- handling Commission. However, our work is more conciliatory. We would like to partner with you in the area of information sharing, referral of cases, capacity building for staff as well as advocacy and enlightenment of the public.”
The PCC ombudsman appreciated the Zonal Director for the warm reception and for the assistance by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFC and assured him of more robust synergy between the two agencies, particularly in area of information sharing and transfer of cases that fall within the purview of the EFCC to help the anti-graft agency deliver on its mandate.
Responding, Harry reiterated the resolve of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede to collaborate with relevant agencies in ensuring that corruption and the corrupt do not win against the country and the citizens.
“Cooperation and collaboration is part of our strategic plan. We are determined to fight corruption with renewed energy and zeal, and we will not pull our punches no matter who is involved. Freeing the country of corruption is a full scale war for us in the EFCC and this we intend to achieve through cooperation and collaboration with relevant stakeholders”, he said.
The Zonal Director stated further that no agency of government can work in isolation and succeed, noting that the complex nature of corruption and sophisticated tactics being employed by fraudsters to defraud others and protect the proceeds of their crimes make collaboration compelling.
‘‘We are products of Nigerian society and we all must ensure that we do the right thing always to sanitize our environment and organizations as we have no other country to call ours except Nigeria”, he added.
He also urged the PCC to be an advocate of peace and unity as well as an anti-corruption war crusader to make Nigeria a better place for all.