The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) has on Thursday conducted a sensitization programme for the new set of members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) at their Permanent Orientation Camp in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The annual exercise is meant to orientate corps members about the activities of the agency, in the area of stamping out corruption and to solicit their support in achieving the set goal.
In her words, the Chairman of OYACA, Hon. Justice Eni Esan (rtd) said the agency has been able to achieve a lot while discharging it’s given mandate, among which is investigation of 186 cases out of 337 reported to the office.
She maintained that while investigation is ongoing on 151 cases, seven have been forwarded to the State Attorney-General for prosecution and fourteen persons are facing trial in court.
She added that OYACA has succeeded in retrieving huge amount of money from corrupt contractors that failed to deliver on contracts collected from government departments and agencies.
“The Oyo State Anti–Corruption Agency (OYACA) has been able to achieve a lot in the discharge of its mandate to fight corruption and curb corrupt practices in accordance with the law that established it.
“The Agency has received from Government Departments, institutions and individuals over 337 petitions on different cases of corruption and corrupt practices. 186 cases have been thoroughly investigated and concluded. Investigations are ongoing on 151 cases and 7 cases have been forwarded to Hon. Attorney General for Prosecution while 14 persons are already facing trials in court.
“It is expedient to mention that a senior civil servant in the state was recently convicted by a court of law and sentenced to a term of imprisonment for corruption.
“OYACA has been able to recover huge amounts of money from corrupt contractors engaged by Government Departments but who failed to perform the contracts as expected.
“OYACA has also assisted individuals to recover huge amounts of money from some fraudulent civil servants, the Agency has also investigated some Government officials on allegations of diversion of Government funds into personal accounts. Such officers at the moment, are standing trial in court.
“Also, in several MDAS, persons who had pending applications for approvals for over five years had such approvals speedily granted owing to the intervention of OYACA.
“As part of the core mandate of the Agency to educate and enlighten the public, we have carried out many sensitization and advocacy programmes for different groups of people for instance; Chairmen, officers and residents of Local Government Areas in the State, Traditional Rulers, Civil Servants and officers of the Judiciary and Staff and Students of Tertiary Institutions.
“The Agency is currently running radio and television jingles on various media stations to sensitize the general public on the ill effects of corruption and the role everyone can play to fight same.
“OYACA has opened social media handles such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X formerly known as Twitter to enable members of the public to view our activities,” she added.
Eni Itan however sought the contributions of the newly mobilized corps members to the progress of Oyo State, which she said could only be achieved through corrupt-free conducts at public and private establishments and among the populace.