EFCC SEEKS YOUTH’S ASSISTANCE IN ANTI-CORRUPTION CRUSADE
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Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes agency, has urged young people across to support the agency in its anti-corruption efforts.
This was said by Olukoyede on Thursday at a town hall gathering in Sokoto State honoring the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day.
The chairman, who was represented by Nnwanneka Nwokike, the commission’s zonal director, stated that while corruption impacts people of all ages, it particularly harms young people’s opportunities.
“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.”
However, he offered a path for young people to follow in order to unite in the battle against corruption. This path includes lending forces and voices in support of anti-corruption authorities’ efforts, as well as intentional cooperation against corruption.
Others include deciding against corruption and bringing to light behaviors and trends that are in opposition to accountability and moral principles in the community.
While disclosing that the zonal office has opened a complaint box where members of the public can submit their grievances in the form of a petition to the commission, he reassured whistleblowers that their identities will be adequately protected.
Comrade Bello Shehu, the state’s chairman of the Civil Society Organization, praised the agency for consistently working with the state’s CSO in his remarks.
He said that the creation of the state’s zonal office has greatly aided in ridding the state of corrupt activities in a number of its areas.
He urges the zonal director to arrange an orientation with the CSO, particularly in light of the recent autonomy given to the state’s local government, while reassuring that the CSO in the state is prepared to collaborate with the agency to combat corruption.
The Integrity Club from Shehu Shagari College of Education, the Zero Tolerance Club from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, and corp members are among the attendees of the town hall meeting.
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