The Director General of the ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Senegal, Edwin W. Harris Jr. is scheduled to deliver the Realnews 11th Anniversary Lecture in Lagos on November 7.
This year’s lecture will be on “Threats of Illict Funds Flow to the African Economy.”
A statement today, October 17 by the management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online said that the ECOWAS Director General accepted to deliver the anniversary lecture because of his interest in the theme.
The statement quoted Edwin W. Harris Jr. as saying in the acceptance letter: “With the immense interest I have generated in illicit financial flow from Africa and its negative impact on the governance, economies and other social facets of the African people, I am pleased to confirm my participation and graciously accept your invitation.”
It said that Harris Jr. has over 16 years of progressive experience in the public sector and in non-profit structures with in-depth knowledge and skills in governance, transparency and financial crimes.
“He has relevant skills on issues relating to governance, in the fight against money laundering, in the formulation of policies and the implementation of anti-corruption strategies.
“From November 2019 to July 2022, he was director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Liberia. Under his tenure and to his credit, he, among other things, successfully coordinated the validation and publication of Liberia’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) report.
“Until his assumption of duty at GIABA, Harris Jr. was a Lecturer at the University of Liberia.”
The statement said that the lecture will be chaired by Mohammed Bello-Koko, managing director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and that he will also moderate the panel session.
The statement recalled that the 10th Anniversary lecture in 2022 on “Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections” was delivered by Brigadier General Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while the 9th Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective.”
It added that the 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience while former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa even as Professor Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 Lecture.
“The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President.
“The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 19, 2015, under the theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid?
“The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The statement said that Realnews is a general interest magazine and is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism.
