The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has pledged to refocus the anti-corruption war by adopting modalities to stimulate economic growth and development.

The chairman gave the assurance while addressing staff members of the Ilorin Zonal Command of EFCC at the commission’s office, GRA, Ilorin.

Mr Olukoyede promised a paradigm shift in the agency’s approach to anti-graft war to make it more proactive and result-oriented.

“There is a need for us to refocus our attention on EFCC. We need to define our scope of mandate with a view to stimulate the economy of the country.

”The era of stifling and crippling of businesses with unwarranted PNDs is gone. 

”We must be able to separate the proceeds of crime from legitimate funds and use the instrumentality of our mandate to create wealth and jobs for people,” he said.

The EFCC boss also pledged to prioritise staff welfare, stressing that he was already in talks with the government for necessary support.

“We have done it before, and we are going to do it again,” he assured.

Mr Olukoyede asked officers of the commission to be above board and avoid acts of compromise in their line of duty. 

“We owe our nation the sacred duty of making this country free of corruption and crimes,” Mr Olukoyede said.

He urged staff members to work together for a good course and see themselves as officers having the same rights and privileges as encapsulated in section 8 (5) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

The executive chairman had earlier visited the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Zulu Gambari, where he called on traditional rulers to deepen their partnership with EFCC.

(NAN)