Managers of financial institutions were last Friday drilled on ways of fighting corruption, money laundering and terrorism.

The National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), whose activities were officially launched last January 25 is already at work, resolutely determined to fulfil its mission of investigating financial improprieties in the country. The officials of ANIF last Friday, February 3 had a working session with managers of banks, finance credit institutions, insurance companies, the president of the National Chamber of Professional Notaries and other institutions concerned with realising , controlling or giving advice on operations related to depositing, exchanging, converting money, investing and transferring money. The working session at the Yaounde Conference Centre was a forum to drill the managers of the financial institutions to effectively participate in fighting against corruption, money laundering and terrorism.

The Director of ANIF, Nde Sambone Hubert, while presiding at the opening ceremony, recalled the context within which the institution is called upon to work. The Minister of the Economy and Finance, Polycarpe Abah Abah who officially launched the activities of ANIF stated that it comes at a moment when the country is saddled with major financial ills. They include corruption, counterfeiting, capital flight, money laundering, boom in money transfer institutions, casinos, and other lottery institutions whose sources of finance are doubtful. The Minister further said the current social environment is marked by terrorism whose activities are financed with money from doubtful sources.

Mr Nde Sambone therefore recalled the special context of the functioning of the institution to the managers of the financial institutions and their role in helping the government combat financial malpractices in the country. He presented the missions of the ANIF to the managers of the financial institutions, organisations concerned with financial transactions, and the expected aspects of collaboration between ANIF and these institutions. According to Nde Sambone, the heads of financial institutions have to report cases of doubtful sources of finances and transactions to ANIF. He also took off time to explain to them the circuit through which money moves and ways through which they can dictate unclean sources of money and unorthodox ways of using the money. The law according to Nde Sambone, provides for the protection of all sources of information with regard to financial improprieties. As such, he promised the heads of financial institutions that they will be well protected.

ANIF will create focal points in all the financial institutions to ease its work.

Last Friday's working session was the first in a series of meetings ANIF management will have organise in order to create a perfect synergy between the government and financial institutions in fighting corruption, terrorism and other financial malpractices.