Kenneth Udeh from Abuja
The Senate Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Mr Ola Olukoyede as Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Mrs Halima Shehu as the coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA).
The Senate Presided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio while considering the request of President Tinubu also confirmed Mr. Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda as the Secretary of the anti-corruption agency.
The President’s nominees Olukoyede, Hassan and Muhammad who hail from Ekiti, Katsina and Adamawa States received the approval of the Lawmakers to preside over the affairs of the respective agencies.
The Senate screened the EFCC nominees in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 (3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Establishment Act 2004(Committee of the Whole)
Prior to her confirmation Mrs. Halima responded to various questions from the Lawmakers regarding her plans to to turn around the affairs of poverty alleviation agencies.
Financial misconceptions surrounding the grants in the N-Power Programme were clarified by the Nominee. Halima further unfolded her plans to rejig the six interventional programmes of the Agency namely; N-Power, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG), Alternate School Programme (ASP), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
Olukoyede on his part solicited unbiased support for the Agency, promising to implement preventive measures that would block corruption incentives.
Olukoyede arrived at the senate chamber in the company of some management staff of the Commission and responded to various questions asked by Senators: Ali Ndume (Borno South), Simon Mwadkwon (Plateau North), Muhammad Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central),
The EFCC nominee provided answers to questions concerning the functions of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), allegations of the anti-corruption agency being used as a tool for a political witch hunt, synergy between the agency and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), impunity of the EFCC and its Gestapo style of carrying out arrests, lack of focus of the Agency in investigating financial Crimes in the financial institutions especially the banking sector, illegal sales of forfeited and recovered assets amongst other questions.
“The fight against corruption has been more of rhetoric, than showing commitment. The time Has come to show commitment. For instance, if we have the opportunity to investigate someone, the moment you open the investigation you become the person’s enemy including his family, friends, associates and so on and this is bad.
“We must support the agency to call a spade a spade. The time has come to call evil evil”. The time for us to look at prevention rather than enforcement. The incentives to attract corruption are everywhere, we shall do our best to block these leakages.
We must also make the Criminal Justice System adjudicate effectively, Olukoyede assured.