‘Corruption has increased poverty, inequality in Africa,’ says Bawa

THE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, says corruption has increased poverty and inequality in Africa.

Bawa, who stated this at the virtual meeting of the 5th African Union Day of Anti-Corruption, yesterday, also said the African Vision (Agenda 2063) would be a mirage if corruption was not decisively dealt with on the continent.

Represented at the forum by the commission’s Director of Intelligence, Abubakar Saa’d, the EFCC chief described graft as a major threat militating against the actualization of good governance, democracy, and respect for human rights, justice, and the rule of law in Africa.

He stressed that the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption signed in Maputo, Mozambique, on July 11, 2003, and its coming into force in 2006, has brought about remarkable progress in the fight against corruption on the continent.

Bawa said: “Corruption has drastically increased the prevalence of poverty and inequality on our continent. Our continent continues to suffer from rampant debilitating capital flight and illicit financial flows, accompanied by a consistent decline in the standard of living and quality of life of our people.

“The Maputo convention has provided a fulcrum for Regional Economic Communities to synergize anti-corruption efforts undertaken by National Anti-Corruption Authorities and measure the impact of prescribed interventions.”