1st May, 2012
The Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde has described the oil and gas industry as critical to the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
Lamorde said this while receiving the management of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, which paid him a courtesy visit on Monday at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.
While congratulating the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa on his recent appointment, the EFCC boss noted the strategic position of the oil and gas sector as the nation’s chief revenue earner and submits that the sector is critical to the success of the fight against economic crimes and corruption.
“NLNG is an important player in the Nigerian economy and in fact, gas is gradually gaining prominence over oil which makes it imperative that your organization should live above board and be seen to be actually so,” Lamorde said.
He stressed that because of the country’s image and other stakeholders in the NLNG comprising mostly of foreign organisations, there is need to maintain a high level of integrity and corpoarte governance in its operations.
He commended Omotowa and his team for all the anti-corruption efforts so far put in place at the NLNG, which he said, would help in checkmating financial misconduct.
“The steps you have taken like the whistle blowing mechanism is in line with what we do here and we are ready to support you in that regard,” Lamorde promised.
Earlier in his speech, Omotowa said they were at the Commission to congratulate Lamorde on his appointment and to seek the Commission’s assistance in their bid to fight internal corruption.
“We are here because we are committed to high principle of ethical value and have in place anti-bribery and anti-corruption policy. It is in recognition of the expertise and knowledge of EFCC in this area that we have come to solicit for support and cooperation,” he said.
Omotowa who assured EFCC of a corrupt free NLNG said: “In this vein, we have established an internal anti-bribery and corruption policy with a zero-tolerance for such. We also have a whistle blowing scheme which helps in internal reportage of corrupt incidences and are seeking for the full support of EFCC while assuring of our support.”
Omotowa was accompanied on the visit by Alhaji Bashir Koko, Deputy Managing Director; Ms. Sienne Allwell Brown, General Manager, External Relations; Dr. Audu Eresiake, Manager, Government Relations; Chief Charles Okon, Manager, Corporate Security Service and Kabir Aminu, Security Advisor.