The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukayode, has assured that defeating corruption would promote good governance across the country.
Adding that citizens must individually and collectively, play their role and embrace accountability, transparency and due process in all its ramifications.
He made the assertions in Warri, Delta State, on Wednesday in a keynote address delivered at the opening of the 12th annual conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) sponsored by the Federal Government contracted private pipeline surveillance outfit, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
In attendance at the conference which drew distinguished mass communication scholars from various tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones of the country were Professor Nosa Owens-Ibie, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, Professor Majority Oji, Professor Daniel Olawale Awodiya, Professor G. G. Darah, Professor Ayobami Ojebode, Dr. Paul Bebenimino, Dr. Kayode Okunade, Professor Stella Okunna, Mr. Lanre Idowi, Dr. Helen Ambassador-Brikins, Dr. Nchechi Ali- Balogun, and Mr. Achike Chuks Okagor, among others.
The EFCC Chairman, represented by Mr. Williams Oseghale, an Assistant Commander and Head of Public Affairs, Benin Zonal Directorate of the Commission declared saying, “Corruption can be defeated and good governance can be attained if we collectively play our roles as good citizens”.
“The onus is also on us as individuals to be accountable, transparent and committed to due process and procedures”, he stated.
The EFCC Chairman noted with concern that “every challenge around Nigeria’s socioeconomic development today can be traced to the consequences of corruption”.
He said, “The rising troubles of unemployment, insecurity, poverty, diseases, low life expectancy, hunger, kidnappings and others are the results of mismanagement, misapplication, embezzlement of our resources by those entrusted with them.
“We have come to a situation of that trite in our individual and national lives all because of the menace of corruption.
“It is worrisome that Nigeria is regarded as a nation with entrenched culture of corruption and impunity in Africa, if not in the whole world”.
To change the negative scenario, the EFCC Chairman appealed to the media in Nigeria to rise up to the challenges of anti-corruption advocacy stressing that “media practitioners should desist from eulogizing and glamorizing corruption”.
He spoke further, “Today, I urge media practitioners to use their various platforms to fight corruption and the twin-evil of economic and financial crimes in our country.
“Current media practitioners should emulate the founding fathers in the industry and frontally fight social injustice in the land by deliving into investigative journalism and expose activities of fraudsters who defraud innocent citizens of their hard-earned monies, and those in authority who use their position to siphon public funds. This is one challenge that people in media industry must courageously embrace. It is only when the media take up this noble responsibility that it fulfils its constitutional role as the fourth estate of the realm by holding the government accountable to the people. It is when the media discharges this role of holding public officers accountable that we can entrench a culture of accountability, probity and good governance in all tiers of government in our country”.
While reiterating the full commitment of the EFCC to eradicating corruption and economic and financial crimes in Nigeria, Olukayode formally sought for the collaboration of the media in the execution of the anti-graft war.
“We believe that the media practitioners and professional associations like the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria should disseminate, educate and enlighten the public not just about the activities of EFCC, but with the right information and the negative effects of corruption on our society”, he emphasized.
The EFCC Chairman lauded the ACSPN for bringing to the fore the issues of corruption, good governance and the media at the conference saying “it is not only timely but critical to the breeding of an egalitarian society”.
He then charged delegates at the ACSPN Conference to use the forum “to set a good agenda for media practitioners in Nigeria in the quest to build a better nation”.
Earlier in a welcome address, the ACSPN National President, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, painted a gory picture of the level of corruption in Nigeria lamenting that “Corruption in Nigeria remains multifaceted—from petty corruption among lower ranks to grand corruption involving high-level politicians and business elites as the entirety of the Nigerian society seems enmeshed in the web of corruption”.
“Its corrosive effects inhibit economic growth, scare away investment, degrade infrastructure, escalate poverty and insecurity, and threaten the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals”.
Consequently, he emphasized the need for media and communication researchers to step up their watchdog functions by “amplifying voices against corruption and fostering accountability in governance”.
He said, “In this critical battle, the media and communication professionals are the vanguards. We are the watchdog, the truth-teller, and the public advocate. We must be relentless in our investigative reporting to expose corrupt acts and hold those responsible accountable.
“But our role goes beyond mere exposure. We must use our platforms to educate the populace, foster a culture of integrity, and empower citizens to demand transparency.
“Our research must provide the data and insights to inform evidence-based policies. Our advocacy must be loud and clear, reminding our leaders and the public that corruption is not just a moral failing but a direct assault on our collective future. The media are the megaphone for the voices of reason, the voices of the voiceless, and the catalyst for a national rebirth”.
The ACSPN National President was full of gratitude to the management of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for its generosity in sponsoring the national conference noting that “the company’s contribution has covered virtually every component of this programme, a true testament to the legendary hospitality of Delta State”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Professor Majority Oji, the Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka charged all delegates “to engage with open minds and courageous spirits by challenging orthodoxy, and create knowledge that can move anti-corruption crusade from the battlefield to a place of deeper understanding where the antecedent and complexity of corruption can truly be comprehended”.
“Such knowledge is bound to gain traction within society and can help break, or at least reduce, the vicious circle of corruption”, he posited.
Ends
