EFCC wants media partnership in fight against money laundering

Glory Ebomah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has called for a close partnership with the media in an effort to check corruption, especially money laundering.

The EFCC’s chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa made the call on May 11, in his opening remarks at the Workshop on Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes for Journalists in the Northwest which took place in Sokoto, Sokoto State.

Bawa who spoke through the Commander, Sokoto Zonal Command, ACE 1 Aliyu Yunusa, said, “The media should begin to ask questions on budget performance through deliberate monitoring and reporting, whistleblowing on project failures, abandonment of contracts, project delay and poor project delivery. “One way of doing this is through budget tracking. Yearly budgets of government at all levels are always announced.

“Institutions have their budgets, as well as elected politicians for their respective constituencies. The media should begin to ask questions on budget performance through deliberate monitoring and reporting”.

He further reminded the participants of their sacred obligation as media practitioners to expose wrongdoings in society. “As such, I urge the media to deploy more time, energy, commitment and professional strength to exposing fraudulent activities in both the public and private sectors.”

According to the EFCC boss, the workshop was one of the modest efforts of the Commission to build synergy, understanding, and cordial relationships between the Commission and media practitioners.

Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II, Legal and Prosecution Department, Headquarters, Chris Mshellia, delivered a paper entitled, “New Money Laundering Framework: Duties and Responsibilities of Individuals and Corporate Organizations, while ACE I Dele Oyewale and Superintendent Cajetan Egerue made presentations on Investigative Journalism and Nigeria’s fight against Money Laundering and Digital Payment System: Emerging Opportunities for fraud and Prevention Tips for Victims, respectively.