NASS will support EFCC, ICPC in fight against corruption, says Senate President

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said on Tuesday that the National Assembly will provide the necessary support to the anti-corruption agencies in the fight against corruption.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war.

“The 9th Senate and indeed the National Assembly is set to support the anti-corruption agencies to the best of its ability, to enable us eradicate the malaise,” Lawan said.

The Senate President gave the assurance in Abuja while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Ola Awoniyi, said.

“What we face today in the area of corruption requires that all hands must be on deck to fight it. And we are determined to work with other arms of government to fight it. 

“It is a fight that should be fought by all and we are ready to initiate moves that will help in ensuring we succeed in the fight.

“We are also continuously prepared to support agencies like the EFCC and professionals like the Justices and Judges always,” Lawan said.

The Senate President noted that corruption has eaten deep into the very fabric of “our society” and has literarily become endemic.

He acknowledged that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has done a lot in the last couple of years in fighting corruption but added that the fight has surely not been an easy one.

“Dealing with corruption is surely a task we must undertake very well.  The consistency of the EFCC on its mandate is quite commendable. 

“The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very well. 

“The police are also inclusive because of their statutory responsibility of enforcing law and order, by preventing and detecting crime,” Lawan added.

He said the Justices and Judges need all the ethical, moral and institutional support to be exemplary in the discharge of their duties.

The Senate President advocated for a review of the basic school curricula to include the teaching of anti-corruption tenets.

“I believe that we should look at our civic education. We shouldn’t wait until people commit corruption before we start chasing them.

“We should start educating our children in schools, basic education secondary level and even tertiary level, on the ills of corruption in any society.

“Therefore, it is a task that requires that we review the current curricula of our basic education particularly to include something like what corruption means, the ills and the responsibility on every citizen to be part and parcel of the fight against this scourge,” Lawan said.