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Nigeria: UN Supports EFCC With N3.4 Billion
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Daily Trust (Abuja)
16 June 2008
Posted to the web 16 June 2008
Theophilus Abbah
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has promised to release over $30 million (N3.480 billion) as technical assistance to the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri.
A press statement by the EFCC signed by the anti-graft agency's Head, Media and Publicity, Osita Nwajah, said the Country Representative of UNODC, Mrs. Dagmar Thomas, made this pledge at the Commission's headquarters last Friday, stating that it was an indication of the UN's commitment to the success of the Commission.
The pledge ends speculations that the world body was considering withdrawing from the implementation of the European Union aid package.
Thomas told EFCC Executive Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, AIG (rtd), that the UNODC was confident of her ability to discharge her duties creditably. reiterating the UNODC's willingness to partner with EFCC, saying, "as UNODC's representative in Nigeria, I wish to assure you that my doors are always open for you and your people. Let me also thank you on behalf of my team that are housed in your Commission for the cooperation we enjoyed with the EFCC under Ribadu which I believe will continue in your tenure as well."
Thomas told her host that the UNODC had been chosen as the implementation partner in the financial agreement between Nigeria and the European Commission on the funding project aimed at enhancing EFCC's operational, logistics and IT capacity. She said that some of the current priorities in the project include future legislation and security measures, but could include any other pressing projects for which UNODC could be of help.
Replying, EFCC's Executive Chairman thanked the UNODC boss for the visit, saying she has heard very positive things about Mrs. Thomas. "It is good to meet with you and I am confident that with the calibre of people I have been meeting, the challenges before me would be surmounted." She called for a better and more robust relationship between the two organizations, adding that the problem of corruption was a big challenge that could not be left in the hands of a single institution.
Regretting the cynicism that has bedevilled the fight against corruption, Waziri emphasized the need to take the message of hope to ordinary Nigerians who she said suffer most, the brunt of the menace. "The masses are at the receiving end of corruption.
They are so helpless; they are so poor that they cannot raise their voices. We intend to work with them, sensitize and encourage them to hold their leaders accountable."
The EFCC Chairman reiterated her desire to make the Commission a proactive organization by putting in place an effective intelligence-gathering mechanism. She also praised the Nigerian judiciary for having so far identified with the fight against corruption, but stressed that a quicker way of dispensing justice ought to be pursued.
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Speaking also at the meet, Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Akomaye, said the two organizations would meet later to review in detail, all areas of mutual cooperation and thanked Mrs. Thomas for her commitment to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
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