WorldStage– A civil society organisation, Zero Tolerance for Social Immoralities Initiative (ZETSI), Africa, has commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede for his efforts and successes in the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes Nigeria.
It gave the commendation during an advocacy visit to the EFCC corporate headquarters in Abuja, and further presented a certificate of credence to the EFCC boss in recognition of his leadership roles and successes pursuant to EFCC’s mandates.
Speaking during the visit, the chairperson of ZETSI Africa, Ambassador Ibrahim Abdulrazak Imam, described the EFCC as one of his organisation’s most dependable institutional partners, noting that the Commission had consistently supported its advocacy programmes over the past four years.
According to him, the EFCC’s sustained participation in ZETSI Africa’s programmes has helped educate thousands of young Nigerians on “corruption prevention, cybercrime, financial crimes, money laundering, ethical leadership and responsible digital citizenship,” adding that “the unwavering support has significantly enhanced the credibility, relevance and impact of our advocacy efforts.”
He disclosed that the certificate of credence was presented to Olukoyede in recognition of his “visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to institutional reforms, relentless pursuit of economic justice and outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture.”
Speaking further, he stated that “the honour represents our appreciation for your exemplary service and reinforces our confidence in the transformative leadership you continue to provide.”
Imam observed that the fight against corruption cannot be won through enforcement alone and called for greater emphasis on preventive initiatives, youth engagement, value reorientation, community advocacy and strategic partnerships, adding that ZETSI Africa had implemented several initiatives, including leadership conferences, campus advocacy campaigns, community sensitisation programmes, youth empowerment projects and policy dialogues, aimed at promoting integrity and responsible citizenship among young Nigerians.
He sought deeper collaboration between his organisation and the EFCC ahead of the ZETSI Africa Leadership Conference 4.0. According to him, the conference has developed into a major platform for ethical leadership and anti-corruption advocacy, bringing together youth leaders, policy makers, security agencies, legislators, academics, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, among others.
He disclosed that ZETSI Africa’s Students Against Immoralities Club, SAI-Club, is a youth initiative established during the organisation’s Leadership Conference 3.0 in Abuja, adding that the initiative was designed to promote integrity education in secondary and tertiary institutions through peer education, advocacy, mentorship and community service.
The ZETSI Africa boss called for a structured partnership between the EFCC and SAI-Club in establishing anti-corruption education and integrity clubs in educational institutions across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, the Head of the Commission’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE 11 Aisha Mohammed, disclosed that EFCC’s collaboration with educational institutions and civil society organisations remained a pillar in its preventive approach to corruption, economic and financial crime.
“EFCC cannot fight corruption alone. We have programmes on campuses. We have the Integrity Club, which is meant for primary and secondary schools because of how important children and youths are. We also have the Zero Tolerance club for students in Institutions of Higher Learning. We need everybody to come on board, whether it is CSOs, non-governmental organisations, schools, academia, and the government itself,” he said.
Olukoyede urged Nigerians to understand that “corruption is a collective problem that requires collective action,” noting that its consequences affected everyone irrespective of their status.He assured the group that the Commission would continue to work with legitimate CSOs, committed to the development of the country.
