In the ongoing fight against corruption, the Human and Environmental Developmental Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) recently made a significant advocacy visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja. Under the leadership of Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA, the delegation delivered a meticulously crafted set of policy briefs to the EFCC. These briefs were the outcome of the Two-Day Anti-Corruption Conference held in July.
The primary aim of this collaborative effort, as outlined by Suraju, was to actively engage the anti-corruption agency in the anti-graft initiatives and encourage the engagement of a diverse range of stakeholders while taking into account the recommendations put forward in the policy briefs.
These anti-corruption briefs were carefully organized into five sections, with a focus on pivotal sectors, including Anti-Corruption and Law Enforcement Agencies, the Media and Civil Society Organizations, the Presidency and Federal Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Judiciary, and the Parliament. Their intent was to address emerging issues, stimulate public discourse, and foster constructive dialogues.
Suraju also underscored the importance of robust cooperation among all law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, encompassing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), in the execution of their mandated responsibilities.
In response to this cooperative endeavor, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, acknowledged HEDA Resource Centre’s steadfast commitment to the anti-corruption cause. He expressed his concerns regarding the current state of the system and its readiness for transformation through strengthened collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders. Furthermore, he firmly pledged to thoroughly consider the recommendations from the policy briefs and actively work towards their implementation.
Present at the meeting were Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, along with the HEDA Resource Centre team, including Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju, Legal Officer Cecilia Ogwuche, Program Officer from the West African Bar Association, Tonye Dapa, and Abdulazeez Salawu.