‘How We Can Block Ministries From Diverting Our Money’

There are ways Nigeria as a country could block Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from diverting into private pockets, resources meant to aid her development,

This is the stance of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, while speaking at his investiture in Abuja today by the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPN).

Number one option, according to him, was the deployment of technology backed by passage of a forensic law.

To that extent, he promised the National Assembly expediting action on the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPN) Bill presently before it.

“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, believes very strongly in fighting corruption, and we equally believe in same regardless of our political persuasion.

” So, this group will definitely add tangible value to the fight against corruption.

“The fight against corruption is worthy, considering the damage it is causing and has caused over the years.

” The angle from which the CIFIPN is coming from, is surely a practical approach.

“The quantum of monies and revenues that we have as a country, that can make us perform in the area of infrastructural development, is dependent on how efficiently and prudently we are able to deploy those resources.

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“We once had a lot of resources in this country, and yet the bulk of it went into private pockets and, therefore, we could achieve very little.

“Today, we get little and we can achieve much because genuine fear has gripped everyone that if you embezzle or steal, the law will catch up with you.

“In whatever way we want to fight corruption, we must ensure that we emphasize on prevention because corruption has been in existence for long, so people will always try to take advantage of the system.

“Therefore, we must emphasise on how to prevent it, and make it difficult for those who are entrusted with public funds to have undue access and opportunity to divert public funds.

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“We must prevent it because some believe that if they try, they can get away with it, and of course the best way to deal with this is to make it difficult and impossible to access public funds”, Lawan said.