Sunday Ani
Acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has called on Africa to unite in the fight against corruption.
Magu, made the call at a workshop organised by a Republic of Niger-based organisation, High Authority against Corruption and Assimilated Offences (HALCIA), in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held on Tuesday at the ECOWAS Secretariat, Abuja.
Magu, who co-chaired the workshop titled: “Capitalization and experience-sharing workshop on the promotion of legal migration and the fight against corruption at the borders,” decried the massive exodus of African youths to Europe and America in search of greener pastures at the expense of their lives as having a direct link to corruption in the continent.
He lamented that despite Africa’s vast natural resources, pervasive poverty and inequality continues to plague the continent. He blamed the trend on the prevalence of weak institutions, the absence of good governance, ineffective checks and balances, inadequate regulatory and legal frameworks, and poor enforcement mechanisms.
According to Magu, no society can achieve economic, social and political development with its national resources looted with wanton impunity through corrupt practices.
The EFCC boss listed the effects of corruption to include, “massive devastations that are inimical to human development. It robs countries of scare resources that would have otherwise been invested in the provision of infrastructure, potable water, healthcare, education, employment and ultimately, promote growth and development.
He lauded the organisers for providing the platform for heads of anti-corruption agencies in Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria to share ideas and experiences on-going anti-corruption efforts along borders in the continent.
Magu expressed the optimism that in spite of the depth and gravity of corruption in Africa, “we can confront and defeat it through collective action; as a man-made problem, corruption can be solved with man-made solutions.
“In my capacity as the Chairman of EFCC Nigeria, we will not let Africa down. We will fight corruption with all vigor and determination. We will not rest or waiver until we confine this hydra-headed monster called corruption to the dustbin of history,” Magu said.