By Chimezie Godfrey
The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye has said anti-corruption agencies will rededicate themselves to fighting corruption that is threatening stability of countries in the West African Sub-region.
The ICPC Chairman gave the assurance Monday in Abuja, at the 5th Annual General Assembly of Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions In West Africa (NACIWA), with the theme,”The Role of Regional Economic Communities in the Implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.”
Prof. Owasanoye noted that the Assembly being hosted by Nigeria and the two main anti-corruption agencies in the country, ICPC and EFCC is an opportunity to reflect on challenges being faced by the region especially the negative role of corruption in the frustration of the aspirations of the sub region to attain socio-economic growth and meet global development standards.
He expressed concern that the sub region has in the past two years witnessed a resurgence of military takeover of governments and a reversal of years of gains of democratic culture in 15 nation regional member states.
He therefore reiterated the commitment of anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption as the common enemy that is threatening the stability of countries in the sub region.
He said,”We are all aware that corruption is a significant contributory factor to Africa’s undevelopment. This realization informed the adoption of the Convention, and I dare say formation of NACIWA.
“One can surmise that the inability of our institutions to fully implement our individual mandates and by implication the regional treaty obligations is a contributing factor to the resurgence of unconstitutional take over of government within the West African sub region.
“I have no doubt that we will all rededicate ourselves at this conference in our discussion in fighting corruption as the common enemy within that is threatening the stability of our countries.
“This conference also offers each of us, as anti-corruption institutions, the opportunity to reflect on our obligation to talk directly to one another in the 20(3) of the AUCPCC and in talking to also learn from each other towards im implementation of our individual and collective mandates.”
On the role corruption has played in the resurgence of military coups in the West African sub region, the ICPC Chair noted that social discontent has always been a factor in the forceful takeover of government by military juntas.
“Every student of West African history knows that social discontent is always a factor in the forceful takeover of government by military juntas. The current wave of coups is however occasioned by a mix bag of issues within the region including regional political instability, insecurity, absence of rule of law, weak institutions and of course corruption in government and governance.
“The presence of these factors and more, but most especially weak institutions of state and corruption in government and governance has and continue to undermine development aspirations of the region and makes ordinary people welcome change of government no matter how implemented in the hope that livelihood will improve.
“Recent global governance data such as the Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Projec suggest that political and economic stability in the region is fragile and this fragility affect all the countries in the region and by extension regional organizations and initiatives such as NACIWA,” he said.
Prof Owasanoye said stressed that NACIWA and regional Institutions like ECOWAS should improve input and impact at the national levels and at the regional level by better coordination, information, and experience sharing.
He pointed out that the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption adopted in Maputo on 11 July, 2003, recognizes that Economic Communities such as ECOWAS and umbrella bodies of anti-corruption agencies are pivotal vehicles for the implementation of the Convention.
According to him, the Convention empowers Regional Economic Communities and organizations such as NACIWA to criminalize corrupt practices and adopt legislative, police and technical measures for the prevention and detection of corrupt practices, among others.
In his remark, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, expressed delight that the annual general meeting brought together leadership of the national anti-corruption institutions from all the member countries to deliberate, share experience, exchange information and intelligence in their collective efforts against corruption within the sub region.
He noted that the hosting of the AGA by Nigeria is demonstration of the country’s commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes across the sub region.
“As you may recall, in the year 2020,Nigeria facilitated a capacity development for the NACIWA member States programme through the EFCC aimed at enhancing the understanding of the corruption risk profile of the sub-region, emerging crimes trends and developing best practices in asset seizure, forfeiture and recovery.
“The hosting of the AGA is therefore a demonstration of our commitment to the fight against Economic and Financial. Crimes and the willingness to continue taking the lead regional effort in borderless investigationand intelligence sharing as well as asset recovery,” he said.
Bawa disclosed that past year has been very challenging but yet a remarkable one as the Commission secured an unprecedented conviction record of 2,220 and recoveries in excesses of N152billion, $386million, among other recoveries.
He also said that the Commission has embarked on several reforms aimed at strengthening the institution, including the development of a reporting application, named Eagle Eye, to ease the reporting of incidences of economic and financial crimes by the public.
He further said that the EFCC has developed a five year strategic plan that guides its operational approach in law enforcement action.
The EFCC Boss pointed out that the ECOWAS sub region is threatened by existential security challenges which may not be unrelated directly or indirectly to corruption.
He therefore urged all stakeholders to intensify efforts to stem the spate of illicit financial flows within the sub region including illicit flows by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou represented by Mr Remi Ajibewa, congratulated NACIWA member institutions particularly the ICPC and EFCC and extension the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for facilitating the Organization of the statutory meeting of anti-corruption institutions in Nigeria.
He stressed the need for a coherent, co-ordinated and new commitment to fight corruption and promote integrity across the West African sub region.
“I must particularly commend His Excellency, the President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as his other peers and bother head of states and governments for their leadership, dependable support and constructive guidance to the ECOWAS Commission, which has enabled the ECOWAS Commission to perform its mission and in particular advancing the promotion of democracy and good governance in the region.
“Allow me to also use this opportunity to commend the steps also taken by other states’ government towards making the culture of transparency, accountability and integrity entrenched in the governance process in the region.
“You will agree with me that corruption remains the major problem in the overall governance process across ECOWAS member states. In recent times, corruption crises has led to a loss of trust and confidence between the citizenry and government, and an issue which has partly contributed to the democratic reversal that the ECOWAS region is currently facing.
“A coherent , co-ordinated and new commitment to fight corruption and promote integrity is now crucial to restore citizens confidence and pave the way for democratic consolidation,” he said.
Also Speaking, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama noted that the government of Nigeria has always demonstrated commitment to efforts at promoting the development of Africa, and especially the West African Sub-region.
“And this has always been a core part of our foreign policy. This is a demonstration of our strong contribution to the formation of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. And also Nigera’s very strong role in the creation of the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) as it then was, and now the African Union.
“Nigeria was also one of the driving forces for many many years until we achieved success three or four years ago in pushing through the United Nations General Assembly, the promotion of international corporation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return for the sustainable development, and of course this has been a huge challenge for a lot developing countries, the issue of illicit financial flows, and Nigeria was extremely tenacious at the Untied Nations and a number of other countries, to finally pushing that through as UN General Assembly resolution,” he said.
Other participants at the event include, the NACIWA President, Francis Ben Kaifala, head of anti-corruption institutions in West Africa, UNODC, CODA, members of the diplomatic corps, among others.
