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By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday tasked journalists on budget tracking, performance, and whistle blowing on project failures, and abandonment.
Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who gave the charge at the opening of a one-day workshop on “Economic and Financial Crimes Reporting for Journalists” in Sokoto admonished that, the task of exposing corrupt public officials calls for commitment and attention to details.
The programme flagged off last year in some of the Commission’s Zonal Commands has been significantly expanded to make Journalists in other Zonal Commands of the Commission benefit from it, hence in Sokoto.
Bawa, represented by the Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Aliyu Yunusa, said, “the media should begin to ask questions on budget performance through deliberate monitoring and reporting, whistle blowing on project failures, abandonment of contracts, project delay and poor project delivery.
“The task of exposing corrupt public officials is not as demanding as we thought. What it really calls for is commitment and attention to details. One way of doing this is through budget tracking. Yearly budgets of government at all levels are always announced.
“Institutions have their budgets, as well as elected politicians for their respective constituencies. The media should begin to ask questions on budget performance through deliberate monitoring and reporting.
“This workshop is one of the modest efforts of the Commission to build synergy, understanding and a more cordial relationship with the media.”
Hitherto, the Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II, Legal and Prosecution Department, Headquarters, Chris Mshellia, delivered a paper, “New Money Laundering Framework: Duties & Responsibilities of Individuals and Corporate Organizations.
Also, ACE I Dele Oyewale and Superintendent Cajetan Egerue delivered papers on Investigative Journalism and Nigeria’s fight against Money Laundering and Digital Payment System: Emerging Opportunities for fraud and Prevention Tips for Victims respectively.
