Susan Abayomi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has established a new directorate to monitor the inflow and expenditure of funds by state governments as part of efforts to strengthen financial accountability and prevent corruption.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyode, disclosed this while delivering a special lecture in Gusau, Zamfara State, as part of activities marking the state’s 30th anniversary.
Olukoyode explained that the Commission was adopting a more proactive approach to tackling financial crimes, shifting its focus from prosecuting offenders after public funds have been misappropriated to preventing such offences from occurring.
He said the newly established directorate would oversee financial transactions involving state governments to identify and prevent the diversion, misuse and embezzlement of public resources.
The EFCC chairman further revealed that officials of the Commission had been integrated into meetings of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to monitor funds allocated to state governments.
According to him, the initiative is designed to strengthen transparency, promote accountability and ensure that public funds are properly managed and utilised for the benefit of citizens.
The special lecture formed part of the activities marking Zamfara State’s 30th anniversary, providing a platform for stakeholders to assess the state’s achievements and challenges over the past three decades while exploring opportunities for sustainable development.
The lecture centred on accountability, security and sustainable development, highlighting the importance of responsible governance in advancing the state’s growth.
