NSA: FG Committed to Build Investigators’ Capacity to Enhance Anti-corruption War

• HEDA doubts Tinubu administration’s commitment to fight corruption

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has expressed the commitment of the federal government to build the capacity of investigators to enhance the war against corruption.

Ribadu, who was represented by the Special Adviser in the legal department, Anthony Oluborode, disclosed this Tuesday at a two-day National Conference on Anti-corruption organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

He said the government would continue to work on reforming the civil service to fight corruption, reduce bureaucracy, decreasing inefficiency and waste. 

According to him, “A cap will be placed on fiscal expenditures for the construction of government buildings and on salaries related compensation, packages of elected officials. Such expenditures will have a low priority in our administration and that will be transparent, that’s the promise.”

Ribadu added that hard working members of the civil services are to be commended for their public service and  also protected.

According to him, “However, we will continue the process of weeding out ghost workers, as well as ghost projects expenditures from the system. 

“The  government will adhere strictly to the principle that public funds are only to be spent on the public good and shall strive earnestly to reduce the cost of government.”

Ribadu stressed that the federal government would focus on accountability, adding that authority and discretion without accountability creates a door that could lead to corruption. 

His words: “There is a need to build the capacity of investigators to enhance the use of world class flexible, tried and tested templates, which the government is committed to.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of HEDA, Olarenwaju Suraju, decried the lack of direction of the current administration as regards the war against corruption.

He said at the moment, there was no reason to believe that there is going to be any serious fight against corruption.

Suraju expressed concern that both the media and the civil society organisations did not put the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on the spot for alleged corruption cases against him when he was vying for the position he presently occupies.

He said: “I must confess that we should have put the Senate President on the spotlight. He’s not only being investigated for his term as governor in Akwa Ibom but also as Minister of Niger Delta.

“These  are very critical issues. This was the person that was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and refused to honour the invitation, claiming that he was sick, only to be junketeering around, campaigning to be Senate President and eventually emerge as the Senate President.”

The chairman stated categorically that this has left a sour taste in the mouth, both President Bola Tinubu and for this government. 

Suraju said following the removal of EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, no action has  been taken to tell Nigeria what the agenda of this government was in the fight against corruption. 

“If we want to go by what has been happening so far in terms of the fight against corruption, we can’t actually for now, say that we have any good reason to believe that there’s going to be any serious fight against corruption,” he said.

The HEDA chair said that was what prompted HEDA to invite the NSA considering the fact that corruption is also at the centre of insecurity in the country.