Date Published: 07/27/09

Hard times await corrupt office holders -Waziri

……Meets U.S Mayors over graft.

1. Farida Waziri, Exect.Chairman, EFCC (3rd left) with members of the National Conference of Black Mayors, USA; George Grace, Fmr. President,NCBM; Heather Hudson, President, NCBM; Velma Jenkins, Chair of Women Caucus, NCBM; Eugene Grant, President, Maryland Chapter, NCBM & 1 st Vice President, World Conference of Mayors; Vanessa Willams, President, NCBM

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri has said tough time awaits corrupt public office holders and other category of fraudsters in the country.

Waziri who gave the assurance while receiving a group of five Mayors from the United States on Monday 27 July 27, 2009 said the Commission’s investigations into pending cases of corrupt public officers and other high profile cases have started yielding results, stressing that more of them would face prosecution in the weeks ahead.

“We will crave your indulgence to understand our difficulties and to support us to realize our mandate. In the months to come, expect a significant decrease in 419, lots of high profile cases against banks and the full implementation of the 40+9 recommendations of the FATF by Nigerian banks”, the EFCC boss added while intimating her guests with a number of achievements the anti- graft agency had recorded in the last 12 months.

The U.S. Mayors who spoke one after the other commended the Commission for what it has done so far and assured Mrs. Waziri that they were visiting to seek ways of collaborating with the EFCC on how to achieve greater results on its mandate.

Leader of the delegation and president of National Conference of Black Mayors in the United States, Healther Hudson said that the visit was to establish a lasting relationship with the Commission in a way that “would further the effort of capacity building not only with the community here in Nigeria but those in the United States. This would not be the last time because you have truly blessed us with the opportunity”

In his own remarks, Mayor Eugene Grant said, “let me say that being with our brothers and sisters in Nigeria is truly an honour and blessing for us. Great things have come from this country, you celebrated one o f your men who introduced electronic card. President Clinton also called one of your country-men the father of the internet. So, it is an honour for us conference of black mayors to be able to sit with you, be able to dialogue an d find ways we can forge greater partnership and build those bridges that have been broken before, knowing as a certainty that we can reconnect. While we have issues of Badagry and the chains, we have come back to forge a new alliance. We have to continue to forge ahead with this relationship.

“In the United States, we know that Nigeria has had some negative press but we know that there are also some things positive here. Just in the state that I represent, there are 200,000 Nigerians that live there and in my territory specifically, 100,000 Nigerians who are very successful live there.

While also speaking during the visit, Mayor Vanessa Williams said, “when you look at the relationship between African – American, there has been a great gap, we African-Americans have not been privileged to be active on the continent, so it is delightful to bring the conference of mayors here and discuss things were we can be of assistance . Many of the things you discussed in your speech, technical assistance, provided, you were speaking in areas of infrastructure and technical development and not just wanting to make sure that processes are transparent in doing contracts.” The Mayor in the United States go through the same process. This is a place where technical assistance could be provided and best practices can also be shared. Looking at the work that we put in place in America and be able to share them with you. The banking system as you know has impacted our country as well. So this is something that we are all working on, looking at how we can develop strong community overall. Among the mayors are different professionals, doctors, attorneys and other, it is this kind of relationship that we will like to bring to the table.

Other members of the delegation include Mayor George Grace, former president of NCBM and chair of International Development Committee of NCBM, Billy Nwoye, representative of ALGON, Darius Divson, NCBM leadership international,  Dora Mohammed, Wynona Singleterry, Executive Assistant to Executive Director of NCBM and Joseph Louis, Executive Director of National Conference of Haitian Mayors  

2. Heather Hudson, President, National Conference of Black Mayors, USA decorating the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria, Farida Waziri, AIG of Police (rtd) with an official Brooch during a courtesy visit to the Commission.

3. A Cross-Section of the envoy with the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria, Farida Waziri, AIG of Police (rtd) & some members of her manag’t team during the visit.