Posted by By Femi Babafemi Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC on
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri has called for an enduring collaboration between the anti-agency and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the fight against corruption.
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri has called for an enduring collaboration between the anti-agency and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the fight against corruption.
Waziri made the call when she received some members of the national executive of the NUJ led by its National President, Mr. Ndagene Agwu, who paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Abuja at the weekend. Other members of the delegation include the National Secretary, Leman Shabu and Ambrose Nwachukwu, National Vice President, Zone C of the union.
The EFCC chairman said the media is central to the fight against corruption, saying that those who argued that the pen was mightier than the sword were absolutely right.
While underscoring the need for collaboration with the media, she urged the media to always resist being used by people with evil agenda, saying that the media should instead engage in constructive criticism as that helps to build nations.
She charged Nigerian journalists to always embark on investigative journalism as that is capable of helping to expose atrocities in both high and low places. She added that EFCC is more than ready to partner with the media as the fight against corruption is that of all Nigerians.
'The fight against corruption in this country can never succeed without the media .I have often said that I want to take the fight to the Nigerian people and how can I do that without the media?" she asked .
The NUJ President assured the EFCC chairman that the NUJ was willing to support the commission in the fight against all forms of economic and financial crimes.
'We are grateful for giving us this privilege to interact with you. We all have a common project, the Nigerian project. We must make it better than we met it. We must make it to the league of nations that practice what is exemplary. We must bequeath a legacy to our children which they will be happy about. We are willing to collaborate with you. The nature of the work that you do falls into our domain. We know your antecedent, you have never failed in any tasks even in this one , we are sure you wont fail", the NUJ president said.
Mrs Waziri re-emphasized that the fight against corruption should be a collective fight as corruption has hindered the country's growth.
According to her, Nigeria has no business being poor but for the corrupt who have looted the commonwealth.
She said she would need the media when the commission begins its sensitization campaign to re-orientate Nigerians on values.
'What we used to frown at, today we clap for thieves. We give those who looted our money chieftaincy titles, we have to rethink because of this country," she said. She sized the opportunity to inform the delegation and the general public that the commission is not as rich as people perceive it. 'When you read in the papers that EU gives $32 million, people begin to put their calculator together whereas the money came for specific projects, not cash," she said.
While also commending the NUJ leadership for the visit, Emmanuel Akomaye, the commission secretary praised the media for their support for the commission since its inception. He urged them to continue to give their support in the fight against corruption by engaging in investigative journalism.