EFCC tells public officials: Manipulate procurement for cronies, risk imprisonment
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has warned newly appointed public officials against corruption, saying public office is a responsibility to protect public resources, not an avenue for personal enrichment.
Olukoyede gave the warning during a two-day induction programme organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms in Abuja for the Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and members of the Governing Board of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC).
Speaking on “The Role of the EFCC in Improving Accountability in the Public Service,” he said corruption continues to undermine prudent management of government resources, with billions of naira lost annually through fraudulent practices.
He identified treasury theft, diversion of public funds, bribery, misappropriation, procurement and contract fraud, payroll and pension fraud, and duty tour allowance fraud as the most common forms of corruption in the public service.
Olukoyede described contract fraud as the most widespread, accusing some public officials of manipulating procurement processes to enrich themselves.
“From my experience in regulatory compliance, by far the most common form of corruption within the public service space is contract fraud,” he said, explaining that it includes contract splitting, bid manipulation, awards to unqualified firms and payments for poorly executed or abandoned projects.
He reminded participants that the EFCC was established in 2003 to investigate, prosecute and prevent economic and financial crimes, while acknowledging challenges such as limited resources, delays in prosecuting high-profile cases and inadequate public support.
Urging the officials to shun corruption, he said, “Public service is not an invitation to loot the treasury.”
He advised them to comply with the Financial Regulations, Public Service Rules and the Procurement Act, warning against seeking contracts from agencies they serve, engaging in conflicting businesses, operating foreign bank accounts or conducting transactions outside recognised financial institutions.
Olukoyede also urged the officials to keep proper financial records and exercise caution before signing official documents.
“Before you sign that document, study it. Your signature is your name and integrity. Guard it,” he said.