EFCC belongs to all, not for anybody — Bawa

THE Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has restated that it will take collective and concerted effort to rid the country of corruption.

Bawa noted that until Nigerians embrace the fight against corruption in their personal engagements winning the war against the menace would be difficult for the Commission.

Bawa said this when he received members of a civil society organization, Civil Society Coalition for Transparency and Good Governance, at the Commission’s headquarters, Abuja yesterday.

He said, “EFCC belongs to all Nigerians and it is not for anybody.

“We realized long ago that the work of the EFCC is not something that can be done alone. Civil Society Organizations and Individuals are all stakeholders because Nigeria is the only country we have.”

Bawa gave the assurance that the EFCC will partner with civil society organizations to ensure that “the mandate of the Commission and what we stand for, which is ensuring good governance, is imbibed and the country is rid of corruption.”

Speaking during the visit, the Vice President of CSCTGG, Nse Victor Use, lamented the negative impact of corruption on the country.

He said if the country had functional health, education, aviation, road and other infrastructure, “we will have less to worry about.”

He added that, apart from scarce resources, corruption is responsible for the failure of public infrastructures.

“We as civil society are offering ourselves as those who will continue to project the message of ‘say no to corruption in whatever form”, he assured.