The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to embrace the whistle-blowing policy of the Federal Government as a practical way of exposing corrupt practices in their places of primary assignment.

This charge was given on Thursday, December 5, 2019 by the Head, Public Affairs, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Mr Dele Oyewale, while addressing corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nowa-Gbam Rivers State.

Speaking on the “Role of Youth In Curbing Corruption”, Oyewale challenged the corps members on the need for deliberate, consistent and serious involvement in the anti-corruption fight by exposing every act of corruption and compromise through the whistle blowing policy of the government.

“The whistle blowing policy offers you good opportunities to expose corrupt practices in your places of primary assignment. You cannot do this if you are at home with corruption.

“It takes deep hatred for corrupt practices for anyone to expose whatever is unsavoury and fraudulent. Therefore, hate corruption and expose the corrupt around you. Get credible intelligence and work on it diligently. The reward is good for you and the entire nation,” he said.

Oyewale also urged corps members to embrace hard work and selfless service, stressing that no nation developed with a get- rich- quick disposition.

“Strive to work hard because this is the only means of getting enduring results. Avoid criminality. Yahoo yahoo business is criminality. Internet scam is criminality. Whatever violates the law of the land cannot help you; but integrity and hard work will scale any mountain for you,” he said.

In Ede Osun State, the Zonal Head of the Ibadan office of the EFCC, Friday Ebelo, warned the corps members against speaking ill of Nigeria, charging them to always look out for how they could contribute their quota in tackling the nation’s challenges.

According to him, rather than dwell on the myriad of challenges facing the country and using same to talk down on it, the youth should rather look inwards and offer solutions that will bring the nation back on the track of her avowed giant status.

“The nation looks up to you for solution to her problems. It is up to you to make yourselves available in proffering those solutions.

“Don’t join those whose pastime is running down the country. Such attitude will neither help us as individual nor answer any of our national questions.

“As corps members, you have the responsibility to defend your country with your all and do everything to help her overcome her challenges.

“The ultimate way to achieve this is to always stand against corruption. You must also speak against it at every opportunity,. No nation develops carrying heavy corruption burden,” he admonished.

In Kaduna, Zainab Sani Ahmed, Head, Public Affairs Department in the Kaduna Zonal office of the Commission, urged the youth to embrace the fight against corruption. According to her, fighting corruption in Nigeria is not for the elderly alone as the youths, being the leaders of tomorrow, should take the lead.

Corps members were also urged to shun economic and financial crimes and other forms of criminality in a message delivered at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Issele Uku, Delta State, by Williams Oseghale of the Public Affairs Department.

He urged the corps members to be role models in their area of primary assignment and to join the EFCC/NYSC CD group for a more enduring engagement.

“Youth Corp members are dynamic young men and women whose energy can be harnessed for greater public good by being role models and whistle blowers in their area of primary assignment,” he said.

He assured that the Commission will not rest on its lureals as it will continue to go after fraudsters who seek to subvert the system and tarnish the country’s image by their unscrupulous and despicable activities.

Similar messages were presented at various Orientation Camps across the country.

•PHOTO: Head, Public Affairs, EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Mr Dele Oyewale, addressing corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nowa-Gbam Rivers State on Thursday, December 5, 2019

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