Focus on agric will reduce graft in Nigeria, says Waziri

Coming from her long sojourn of silence, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri on Saturday, stated that if the country focuses attention on agriculture, it would reduce the dependence on crude oil, and consequently the level of corruption in the country.
The former EFCC Czar spoke at the commissioning of the World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence Project, Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER) located at the Benue State University, Makurdi.
According to her, the surest way to revamp the nation’s ailing economy is to diversify the economy.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, she said: “No doubt, our over-dependence on oil revenue has brought us to the point where we are as a nation today. As an anti-corruption czar, I have seen how some of those the nation entrusted with its oil resources in the past helped themselves more than the country.”

Read also: Jonathan’s agric revolution a big scam –Oshiomhole

Pressed further, she said: “With our focus on agriculture, the struggle by political office holders to steal oil fund would diminish while the national wealth will be in the hands of the people instead of a privileged greedy few. We cannot all dig oil wells in our backyard but we can all farm in our backyards. It is time to end oil-money induced corruption in our land by buying into President Buhari’s vision and take ownership.
“I have made my contributions in the fight to discourage that and even recovered some of the looted funds in billions of dollars. For daring to do that, I came under fierce attacks, slander, blackmail and threats but by God’s grace and long years of experience, I survived all. I am glad today that indeed, there is a new sheriff in town.”

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