The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has established a new directorate to monitor the inflow and outflow of funds belonging to state governments as part of efforts to prevent corruption and protect public resources.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this while delivering a special lecture in Gusau, Zamfara State, during activities marking the state’s 30th anniversary.
Olukoyede explained that the commission was changing its approach to tackling financial crimes by placing greater emphasis on preventing the misuse of public funds rather than concentrating solely on investigating and prosecuting offenders after money had been diverted.
He said the newly established directorate would monitor state government finances to identify potential irregularities and prevent the diversion or embezzlement of public resources.
The EFCC chairman also revealed that officials of the commission had been included in meetings of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to monitor allocations made to state governments.
According to him, the initiative is designed to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of public funds and ensure that government resources are properly utilised.
He stressed that preventing financial crimes before they occur would help safeguard public funds and reduce the challenges associated with recovering money after it has been stolen.
The special lecture formed part of Zamfara State’s 30th anniversary celebrations, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the state’s achievements, challenges and development prospects.
The event focused on accountability, security and sustainable development.
