Abuja - Nigeria — Members of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) have been urged to exploit the opportunities provided by the new network in ensuring that they "have more voice in collectively determining the best strategies to employ in their fight against corruption".
At the formal launch of the Network in Abuja on Wednesday, 30th March, 2011, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Brigadier General Mahamane Toure advised the network to take advantage of better methodologies available within and outside the region to leverage on capacity-building opportunities as well as collaborate more in prevention, investigation and prosecution of corrupt people and institutions. He charged members to assist one another in enhancing the capacity of operational staff of the respective institutions and by so doing, contribute to the development of a stable, prosperous and peaceful region. He explained that the activities of the operative network which is aimed at rooting out corrupt practices from the region will contribute to the reversal of underdevelopment and instability prevalent in the region.
According to the Commissioner, within the framework of the fight against corruption, the Commission plans to facilitate among others, the creation of anti-corruption commissions in states where they do not exit, ensure the strengthening of existing national institutions. They are also expected to collaborate towards the harmonisation of anti-corruption laws and processes in order to deepen regional integration and development. He advised the network to emphasize, on a continuous basis, the capacity building of operatives of national anti-corruption institutions as well as educate and sensitize critical sectors of the society on their role in preventing and exposing corrupt practices. The establishment of the network which is in consonance with the Commission's vision 2020 strategic objective of facilitating the transformation of ECOWAS from a Community of States to a Community of peoples, is part of the anti-corruption programme of the Commission to contribute to structural conflict prevention in the region by facilitating the strengthening of governance institutions.
In a key note address, the Nigeria's Attorney General whose speech was read by Mrs. Rhona M. Dimude, Director of Citizen Right at the Federal Ministry of Justice, encouraged the executives of the network to strive towards achieving the objective of enhanced cross-border cooperation and collaboration. He also urged regular experience-sharing and technical and capacity support in the fight against corruption. He commended the initiative of the network saying that "tackling fraudster across borders will therefore ensure total victory for the fight against corruption as none of our states will be a safe haven for perpetrators of corruption". The five-member executive, whose tenure is for three years, is led Dr. Jean-Baptiste Elias, head of the anti-corruption institution, Benin Republic.
