Chairman of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba has expressed concern over the poor funding of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), especially the construction of the commission’s 10-storeyed Head Office in Abuja.
Leading other members of the committee to the EFCC on oversight function on Wednesday, Jagab said he was at the commission to assess 2013 budget performance while preparing for the 2014 budget defence, and as well ascertain the level of work done at the head office building.
Earlier, Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde told members of the visiting committee that the only capital project currently under construction, which is the Head Office complex situated along the Airport Road awarded to Messer Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, JBN, on 27th November 2010 at a total cost of N18,867,783, 615.00, for a 36 months completion period, is almost abandoned.
“About N9bn has been paid to JBN while only N3bn was approved for the project out of the outstanding N12bn as at January 2013,” Lamorde revealed. “Going by the terms of the contract agreement, the handover of the Head Office Complex ought to be the next two months, but only 41 per cent of work has been done.”
He also said that the commission has paid about N402m as extra costs due to exchange rate variation, which is as a result of not meeting up with the 36 months hand over period as contained in the terms of agreement.
“The delay in the completion of the Head Office building is eating deep into the finances of the commission, as so much is spent on renting buildings across the Capital City,” he added. “Our operations are spread all over the city. We have rented offices in seven locations in Abuja. This also means we must service generators in each of the locations, which is the alternative power source.”
After listening to the EFCC chairman, promised better times for EFCC’s funding, saying, “We have every reason to make adjustment to the budget proposal from the federal government and not just to rubber stamp such proposal. Even if it means increasing your budget, the Committee has power to do that.”
The committee members also visited the cells, exhibit room, interrogation room, forensic unit, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Head Office building under construction.
