The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has tasked the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of North West Development Commission, NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji on the need to vigorously pursue the mandate of the region’s development and to be guided by accountability in the discharge of his duties.
He gave him the challenge on Wednesday, January 14, 2025 when Ma’aji led officials of the Commission on a courtesy visit to him at EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
“I encourage you to be committed to that mandate. It’s a big mandate. The essence of setting up some of these intervention agencies is to ensure that each region will be able to develop at their own pace. We have had cause to receive quite a number of the regional commissions. And what we always tell them is what we are also telling you now: There is the need for you to be seriously committed to your mandate. We want to see progress within the next one year after releases have been made to you for your budget. We want to see tangible developmental projects that you have put in place so that the trust that the government and the people of Nigeria have in you will not be betrayed. I also want to encourage you in the area of accountability and transparency. We have started on a good note”, he said.
Further in his advice, Olukoyede stated that “From day one, don’t sign any document that you are not sure of. Very soon you will start putting your management team together. Do your profiling very well; know whom you are employing as executive directors, particularly in charge of procurement of goods and services. Pick somebody you know personally because at the end of the day you are the one that will account. You are the chief accounting officer. Whatever they do, scrutinize in the spirit of transparency. It’s always good. Prevention is better than cure.
“We are ready on our part to work with you in the spirit of collaboration and to ensure that you start on a very good note and maintain the tempo. I believe that we can work together,” he said.
Ma’aji in his remarks sought collaboration between the EFCC and the NWDC for the purpose of ensuring that his Commission stays on track. “The Northwest Development Commission was established to drive coordinated socio economic development across the Northwest geopolitical zone through infrastructure delivery, social interventions, economic empowerment and institutional strengthening. As a new public institution entrusted with significant public resources, the Commission recognizes that transparency, accountability and strong internal controls are fundamental to achieving its mandate and sustaining public confidence. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption and economic crimes enforcement agency, plays a critical role not only in enforcement but also in the prevention, institutional strengthening and public sector compliance, that is why we feel that it is very important we pay you a courtesy visit and seek partnership for the purpose being guided in terms of our activities. We need to have guidance to be able to operate appropriately,” he said.
Speaking further, he stated that “This proposed collaboration is conceived as a preventive advisory and capacity building partnership, focused on upholding integrity, sound financial management and compliance system within the Northwest Development Commission from inception so that we don’t start at the wrong footing. This collaboration aligns with the federal government broader governance reform objectives and complements ongoing effort to ensure that the government institutions operate transparently, deliver value for money and remain insulated from financial misconduct and reputational risk.”
He noted that his Commission was not meant to compete with state or local governments but exists as an intervention agency to fill gaps where they exist in the seven states of the Northwest.
“I have 21 senators within these states, 91 House of Representatives representing these states. I have 186 local governments with 2003 electoral wards with every one of them expecting the responsibility from me to intervene where there are issues in terms of development and any other issues that will improve human life. So you can see it is not a small challenge. We have a total of 54 million people within the region and the youth population that ranges between 18 to 30 million, who need to be engaged in productive economic activities. You either engage them or they engage themselves positively or negatively,” he said.
