Don’t Sign Frivolous Documents, EFCC Chairman Admonishes NWDC Boss

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has warned the managing director/chief executive of Northwest Development Commission (NWDC), Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, to desist from signing any frivolous document that he does not fully understand.

The EFCC chairman stated this on Wednesday when Ma’aji led officials of the commission on a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

While giving his advice to the visiting team, Olukoyede stated that, “From day one, don’t sign any document that you are not sure of. Very soon, you will start putting your management team together. Do your profiling very well; know whom you are employing as executive directors, particularly in charge of procurement of goods and services. Pick somebody you know personally because at the end of the day, you are the one that will account. You are the chief accounting officer. Whatever they do, scrutinise in the spirit of transparency. It is always good. Prevention is better than cure.

“We are ready on our part to work with you in the spirit of collaboration and to ensure that you start on a very good note and maintain the tempo. I believe that we can work together.”

The EFCC boss also tasked NWDC boss on the need to vigorously pursue the mandate of the region’s development and to be guided by accountability in the discharge of his duties.

“I encourage you to be committed to that mandate. It’s a big mandate. The essence of setting up some of these intervention agencies is to ensure that each region will be able to develop at their own pace. We have had cause to receive quite a number of the regional commissions. And what we always tell them is what we are also telling you now: There is the need for you to be seriously committed to your mandate. We want to see progress within the next one year after releases have been made to you for your budget. We want to see tangible developmental projects that you have put in place so that the trust that the government and the people of Nigeria have in you will not be betrayed. I also want to encourage you in the area of accountability and transparency. We have started on a good note,” he said.

Earlier, Ma’aji, in his remarks, sought collaboration between the EFCC and the NWDC for the purpose of ensuring that the commission stays on track.

“The North-West Development Commission was established to drive coordinated socio-economic development across the North-west geopolitical zone through infrastructure delivery, social interventions, economic empowerment and institutional strengthening. As a new public institution entrusted with significant public resources, the commission recognises that transparency, accountability and strong internal controls are fundamental to achieving its mandate and sustaining public confidence.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption and economic crimes enforcement agency, plays a critical role not only in enforcement but also in the prevention, institutional strengthening and public sector compliance, that is why we feel that it is very important we pay you a courtesy visit and seek partnership for the purpose being guided in terms of our activities. We need to have guidance to be able to operate appropriately,” he said.