Governor Dikko Radda has solicited the partnership and support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to take the Katsina State Government’s anti-corruption war to the next level.
He made the appeal on Friday when he led a delegation of some Katsina State government functionaries to the corporate headquarters of the EFCC, in Abuja.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for graft, adding that the Katsina State Anti-Corruption Commission was recently established as part of efforts to ensure government officials and civil servants act professionally, and shun abusing public trust.
He appealed to the EFCC to assist in nurturing the Katsina anti-graft agency in order for it to actualize its corporate visions and target objective.
He said: “As Governor of Katsina State, I am exploring new ways of reducing economic and financial crimes in government.
“We are working hard to ensure that civil servants are not pressured into doing the wrong thing across all tiers of government.
“We also encourage contractors to avoid being pressured into dubious activities at the expense of our people”.
Governor Radda further explained that his administration was doing a lot to boost transparency in the Katsina public service, to ensure that the opportunity to misappropriate or embezzle public funds are reduced to a bare minimum.
His words: “To this end, we have implemented TSA and we are rapidly digitizing our revenue and expenditure systems to provide more transparency and close loopholes.
“We are a new government and we have a lot to learn as we navigate our administrative responsibilities.
“I would want our commissioners, accounting officers, procurement officers, and those saddled with budget implementation to take advantage of your academy, and acquire the knowledge to do right in their roles.
“We welcome suggestions on how to design better systems to fight corruption and we are open to providing you with our full support, where the Commission has reason to believe members of our administration are not going by the book”.
The Executive Chairman of the federal anti-graft agency, Mr.Ola Olukoyede while receiving Governor Radda and his team, reiterated EFCC’s commitment to fighting corruption, which he noted is Nigeria’s major albatross.
According to the EFCC boss, pervasive graft has stunted the country’s accelerated development and infrastructural growth. He further explained that lack of enforcement and compliance are what is affecting the robust implementation of anti-corruption policies and reforms.
Olukoyede, applauded Governor Radda for establishing both the Katsina State Anti-Corruption Commission and Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC, promising that EFCC will organize capacity-building training for the pioneer staff of the Katsina anti-graft body.
He said: “Your Excellency, you equally deserve to be commended for implementing the Treasury Single Account TSA, as part of sanitizing the public finance system of the Katsina civil service. We want to assure you of our support, in every possible way. As part of our collaboration too, we shall also be setting up a Special Desk which shall serve as a link between the EFCC and the Katsina State’s Anti-Corruption Commission”.
Highlight of the event was the appointment of Governor Radda as an “Anti-Corruption Marshal” of the EFCC.
Radda’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed said with the appointment, the Governor automatically bagged a Fellowship of the Anti-Corruption Marshal.
According to him, the award is in recognition of Governor Radda’s strides against fighting corruption in the Katsina’s public service, according to the EFCC helmsman.