By Tony Icheku
Amidst perceptions that President Goodluck Jonathan is not persecuting the anti-corruption war, a Certified Fraud Examiner, CFE, Emmanuel Ishili asserts that the President is actually fighting the war, but within the prisms of due process and rule of law.
Ishili maintains that “It is presumptuous to accuse President Jonathan of lacking the political will-power to fight corruption and fraud, he is sincerely prosecuting the anti-corruption campaign, but within the prism of democratic ethos, rule of law and due process. His style might appear sluggish owing to unconscious programming of Nigerians during the long years of military rule with its inclination for ‘immediate effect’ obedience to orders.”
He added that Nigeria has sufficient legislations to tackle all forms of corruption and fraudulent practices, but the system lacks compliance culture.
“Unless Nigerians insist on strict compliance with existing laws or proscribing stern reprimands for violations, there are limits to what presidential fiat can achieve” he argues.
Ishili further contends that there is need for a legislation to empower private fraud investigators or Certified Fraud Examiners, CFE, especially for the private sector and individuals seeking to investigate fraudulent practices.
“At our current stage of pervasive corruption and fraudulent practice, there is need for government to initiate legislations that would encourage private investigations, which would collaborate with the police and security agencies in investigations of corrupt practices in either the public or private sector” He proffered
Ishili explains explains that the CFE acronym is conferred on an individual who has passed a rigorous test on the four major disciplines that comprise the fraud examiniation body of knowledge, namely Fraud Preventionn and Detrrence; FinanTransactions and Fraud Schemes; Investigation and Law.
The certification is conferred by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, ACFE, which he described as the World’s largest anti-fraud organisation and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. The ACFE based in Austin, Texas, United States of America, according him boasts of over 70,000 members in different chapter worldwide.
Ishili who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of ACFE, Abuja chapter affirms at this point in time Nigeria needs the services of CFEs who are certified as having acquired proven expertise in fraud prevention and deterrence. “CFEs are trained to identify warning signs and red flags that indicate evidence of fraud and fraud risks” he said.
