EFCC signs MoU with WFP over support to IDPs

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, pledged its support for the World Food Programme (WFP), towards ensuring that all support deployed by donors and the Nigerian government reaches its beneficiaries without any threat of corruption.

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the pledge was made by the acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the WFP, at the EFCC’s head office ,in Abuja.

The new partnership between the anti-corruption commission and WFP, according to Magu, who noted that corruption was a serious threat that negatively affected the development of a nation, would in no small measure help in alleviating the sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), especially, in the northern part of Nigeria.

The EFCC boss assured that the anti-graft agency would follow WFP officials to every part of the North-Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, with a view to ensuring that the world body’s intervention reached its beneficiaries.

“We assure you that we will follow you to every nook and cranny of the North Eastern states like Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. We will be with you where ever you need our attention.

“If there are no operative where you are, we will send you operatives from here. We will support and work with your intervention to reach its beneficiaries without any threat of corruption,” he said.

Speaking earlier, WFP’s Director of Inspections and Investigations, Bernadin Assiene, noted that the MoU between WFP and EFCC ,was an important aspect of WFP’s intervention in Nigeria and its main objective was to ensure that all the support mobilised by it, effectively reached its beneficiaries and was safe-proofed from any risk of fraud and corruption.

While declaring that the signing of the MoU with EFCC as first of its kind, Assiene further described it as the confirmation that the anti-corruption commission was the right partner to help WFP establish assurance mechanisms in the country.

According to him, “today’s MoU signing, is the confirmation that EFCC is the right partner to help WFP establish specific assurance mechanisms in Nigeria.”

He also poured accolades on EFCC’s doggedness in the fight against corruption, adding that, “EFCC’s expertise, reputation and track record of successful engagements in the fight against fraud and corruption in the utilisation of foreign assistance is well recognised, both nationally and internationally.”

Sory Ouane, WFP representative and country director, in his remarks, explained how the WFP had provided intervention to the North-East through its intervention programme and assured that the international body would continue.

He said  that the North-East conflict could cause further displacement and an increased food insecurity, informing that WFP was targeting to meet the needs of 1.8 million people in Borno and Yobe states  next year.

“The ongoing conflict in North-East,  has the potential to cause further displacement and increase food insecurity. Therefore, WFP is revising its emergency operations to implement a robust scale up and an integrated response to meet the overwhelming needs in North-East , targetting 1.8 milllion people in Borno and Yobe States in 2017,” he said.

While Magu signed the MoU on behalf of  EFCC, Assiene signed for  WFP.

Other members of WFP at the event include: Peter Musoko,the deputy regional director; Femi Amure, West Africa Project Advisor/Liason and Ijeoma Garba, external partnership.

The occasion was witnessed by members of the management team of EFCC.