Posted by By JAMES OJO, Abuja. on
A bill that would have strengthened the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the area of financial intelligence was Tuesday killed by the House of Representatives just as it yanked off the N20 million budgeted for the EFCC secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory.
A bill that would have strengthened the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the area of financial intelligence was Tuesday killed by the House of Representatives just as it yanked off the N20 million budgeted for the EFCC secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory.
Members did not allow the bill to go beyond the second reading stage as they voted against it, describing the amendment being sought by the Executive as "not necessary".
The Executive had sought to amend the EFCC Act 2004 which would have strengthened the commission by making one of its strategic units - the Financial Intelligence Unit financially autonomous.
But members, who disagreed with the amendment, argued that there was no need to duplicate functions, preferring that the unit be administered as a component of the commission.
For instance, Hon Mohammed Kumaila from Borno State, said the amendment being sought by the Executive contradicts some sections of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act. He did not mention the affected sections.
Speaking in the same vein, Hon Adeyemi Adeyanju from Lagos State said the amendment should be thrown into the dustbin as it was practically impossible to create a body within a body.
"The section of EFCC Act that the bill meant to amend is the main organ of the commission. Why must we make the unit autonomous in the first place? This is why I felt that the amendment was not necessary," he said.
He claimed that there was no where in the world where such commission existed with an autonomous body created within the main body.
During the debate on the FCT budget, the House removed the N20million set aside to support the EFCC secretariat, saying that there was no need for such frivolity.
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that FCT initially asked for N25 million in the original budget, but the House Committee on FCT reduced it to N20million.
Also, the N100 million earmarked as grants for political parties in the FCT was adjudged "unconstitutional" because only the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered to source money to finance registered political parties.
Hon. Depo Oyedokun from Oyo State and Alliance for Democracy (AD) Leader, Hon Wunmi Bewaji, had argued that the amount should not be approved because it would amount to corrupting the system more.
Hon. Chinagorom Macebuh from Abia State wanted the House to probe the disbursement of the same allocation to political parties in the FCT in last year budget.