The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has reaffirmed his commitment to improving the welfare of staff and creating greater opportunities for career progression within the anti-graft agency.
Olukoyede gave the assurance at the 20th anniversary celebration of the EFCC Detective Inspector Course One held at the Commission's Academy in Karu, Abuja.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, the chairman said staff welfare remains a top priority of his administration, stressing that efforts are being made to ensure officers are well motivated and able to carry out their responsibilities without distractions.
According to him, the Commission is also committed to ensuring career advancement for deserving personnel, disclosing that the proposed staff conversion exercise promised by the chairman was "as good as a done deal."
He urged officers to remain diligent, committed and uphold integrity, warning them against acts capable of tarnishing their reputation or undermining the Commission's anti-corruption mandate.
"The Executive Chairman is very interested in staff welfare and is always thinking about how to improve the lives of staff so they are not distracted. Career progression is equally important, and many of you have continued to improve yourselves. The conversion exercise is as good as done," Nzekwe said.
Also speaking, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Commander of the EFCC, Femi Gbarufu, described the officers' 20 years of service as a remarkable milestone, noting that many members of the pioneer inspectorate cadre had already assumed leadership positions within the Commission.
He encouraged them to remain worthy ambassadors of the EFCC and continue demonstrating professionalism in service.
The Director of Investigation, Commander Abdulkarim Chukkol, reminded the officers that as the first inspectorate course, they had set the standard for subsequent intakes and should continue to serve as role models.
He advised them to always consider the consequences of their actions on their families and careers, expressing confidence that some of them could rise to become future chairmen of the Commission.
Similarly, the Acting Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Assistant Commander Joseph Ogwiji, urged the officers to remain faithful to their oath of office and continue to uphold the values of integrity throughout their careers.
The EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, challenged the celebrants to continually pursue excellence and self-improvement, noting that true success lies in consistently surpassing one's previous achievements.
Earlier, the Course Governor, Bala Mohammed, expressed appreciation to the EFCC leadership for providing opportunities that had shaped the careers of members of the course over the past two decades.
He also commended Olukoyede for introducing a transparent housing scheme that enabled qualified staff to own homes, as well as the ongoing conversion initiative, which he said would provide deserving officers with greater opportunities for career advancement.
The anniversary celebration brought together members of the pioneer detective inspector course to reflect on their years of service, strengthen professional bonds and honour senior officials of the Commission.
Awards were presented to Olukoyede, his Chief of Staff, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, the Director of Investigation, the EFCC spokesperson and the Commandant of the EFCC Academy for their contributions to the growth and development of the Commission.