By EMMANUEL AFONNE
ABUJA- A Nigerian, Mr Umar Yakubu has been elected to represent African Sub-Saharan region on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition Board.
Yakubu who is the Executive Director, Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW), was elected in the third round of the preferential vote in a highly competitive process.
A statement issued on Thursday by Mr Victor Agi, Public Affairs Manager, CeFTIW, stated that the Centre had over the years championed advocacies to entrench the culture of transparency and integrity in the nation’s public sector.
The Centre had also deployed technological solutions to promote accountability in the nation’s fight against corruption and strengthening of the criminal justice system.
Agi stated that Yakubu’s election would bolster CeFTIW resolve to combat corruption and promote good governance in the country and across the sub-Saharan African sub-region.
“The Center looks forward to working with other board members and global anti-corruption crusaders in the fight against corruption in whatever form, especially in the region”.
On Yakubu’s new place of assignment (UNCAC), Agi stated that it is a global network of over 350 Civil Society organisations (CSOs) in over 100 Countries committed to promoting the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention against Corruption.
With headquarters in Vienna, the Coalition was established in August 2006 to mobilise civil society actions for UNCAC at international, regional and national levels.
In his new role, Yakubu is expected to take part in providing policy coordination and oversight of the work of the Secretariat.
He will also take part in overseeing the development and implementation of the coalition’s strategy and promoting its activities and projects as well as helping to identify funding opportunities.
He will also be part of the team communicating positions of the UN coalition to wider public audiences within sub-Saharan Africa. (NAN)
