Chairman,
House of Representative’s Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes,
Hon. Kayode Oladele, has pledged the support of the members of the House of
Representatives to ensure that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, is adequately funded to enable it discharge its duties effectively.
He
made the promise during the EFCC’s budget defence before the committee members
on February 8, 2016.
“The
funding of the EFCC remains a priority for the government and we are here to
ensure that you are well-funded,” he said.
Acknowledging
the important role of the anti-graft agency in executing President Muhammadu
Buhari’s anti-corruption war, Oladele assured EFCC of an effective
representation before the appropriation committee.
The
Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, presented a budget proposal of
N11,422,991,540 (Eleven Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Nine
Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Naira) to the Committee.
Magu
noted that the Commission could not give a figure for its own personnel budget
because “the 2016 personnel budget template designed by the Ministry of Budget
and Planning only made provision for detailed nominal roll without estimate and
as such, the Commission was not in a position to justify the Ministry’s
proposed figure.”
The
personnel cost for the agency’s 2015 budget, according to Magu, was
N7,127,316,354.00 (Seven Billion, One Hundred and Twenty Seven Million, Three
Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) for a staff
strength of 2,173.
He,
however, told the Committee, that the Ministry of Budget and Planning fixed the
2016 personnel cost at N6,664,040,791.00 (Six Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty
Four Million, Forty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety One Naira) which
represents a 6.5 per cent decrease or a differential of N463,275,563.00 (Four
Hundred and Sixty Three Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Five
Hundred and Sixty Three Naira).
“It’s a figure which could hamper the work
of the Commission especially because of a planned recruitment of additional 750
staff of different cadres in 2016,” he said.
Magu
explained that the EFCC currently relied on seconded staff from the Nigeria
Police Force, because “the EFCC is a young organisation and it is cheaper to
have seconded staff right now because their salaries are still being paid by
the Police, but the plan is for EFCC staff to take over gradually.”
He
used the opportunity to request for assistance in the completion of the EFCC’s
head office building, noting that it had a completion period of 43 months which
was due in February 2015.
“The
EFCC currently pays about N200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) in rent per
year because its offices are in different places and this poses challenges of
space and security especially with regards to the safe keeping of official
documents and proper human resource control,” he said.
Magu
used the opportunity to appreciate the committee members for their promise to
support the EFCC in its mission to rid the country of economic and financial
crimes, stressing that the agency needed such support.
On
his part, Oladele, again gave assurances to ensure that the EFCC is
well-equipped in the discharge of its duties.
“We
shall consider your prayers and effectively represent you in front of the appropriation
committee”, he said.
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