Press Release
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Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim
Lamorde (left) and Senator Victor Lar, Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs,
Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption (Photo: EFCC Media Unit)
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He made the commendation on
Friday, February 27, 2015 at the 2014 budget defence by EFCC, before the
National Assembly.
Senator Lar who recalled
that the picture was bleak four years ago when the seventh National Assembly
was inaugurated, with Nigeria listed among the five most corrupt nations of the
world, enumerated the milestones recorded in the fight against corruption since
2011. “Today, by the special grace of God, Nigeria has not only been delisted
from the Financial Action Task force, FATF’s target, but is being considered
for membership of FATF. The second after South Africa,” Lar said.
He expressed delight over the
126 convictions recorded by the EFCC in 2014 which he said was a significant
improvement on the 87 and 117 recorded in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Senator Lar said that
contrary to insinuations in some quarters that, the war against graft had been
compromised under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the present
administration has fought corruption more than any other administration in this
country.
“Under his
administration, the various agencies have secured more convictions against
corrupt officials and economic saboteurs”, he said.
The lawmaker reiterated the
determination of the Senate to amend the enabling laws of the anti-corruption
agencies to put them on first line charge saying, “We are signing off with the
acknowledgement of the need to amend the enabling laws of ICPC, EFCC, NDLEA to
put them on first line charge”.
The EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim
Lamorde, presented a budget of Nine Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty Nine
Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Five
Naira (N9, 589,748,795.00) to the Committee.
Lamorde gave the breakdown
of the proposed budget as follows - Capital Expenditure: Five Hundred and Forty
Two Million, One Hundred and Ninety Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy
Six Naira (N542,199,776.00); Personnel Cost: Seven Billion, Fifty Three
Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty Six Naira
(N7,053,942,866.00); and Overhead Cost: One Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninety
Three Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,993,200,000.00).
He pointed out that the
EFCC proposal of Nine Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty Nine Million, Seven
Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Five Naira (N9,
589,748,795.00) as against Nine Billion, Four Hundred and Seventy Nine Million,
Seven Hundred and Ninety Five Naira (N9, 479,748,795.00) approved by the Budget
Office leaves a gap of One Hundred and Ten Million Naira which could affect the
operation of the agency.
Also, the 2015 budget
proposal of the agency is a marked decline from the N12, 245,369,169 which was
appropriated for it 2014.
Other members of the
Committee who witnessed the budget defence of the EFCC were the Vice Chair of
the Committee, Senator Ayoola Agboola, Senator Mohammed Sani Sale, Senator
Abubakar Sadiq Yar’Adua, and Senator Kunle Boluwaji.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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