Reps warn EFCC

EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde

The House of Representatives on Wednesday cautioned operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against allowing themselves to be used to settle political scores.

The commission was urged to investigate and prosecute cases professionally, irrespective of whether the suspects were Peoples Democratic Party members or members of the rival All Progressives Congress.

The House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes gave the warning in Abuja, when the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, appeared before lawmakers to defend the agency’s 2014 budget proposals.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, its Chairman, Mr. Adams Jagaba, said, “Don’t allow yourself to be used for political vendetta. When your work affects a PDP man, treat him the same way you will treat an APC man. Let your work be professional, not political.”

Lamorde, while reviewing the 2013 budget of the commission, informed the committee that the agency successfully prosecuted 117 cases last year.

He said the EFCC’s total budget for 2013 was N10.3bn, broken down into N5.8bn for personnel cost; N1.4bn for overheads; and N3bn for capital projects.

He added that the budget recorded 99 per cent performance, as N10.2bn out of the total figure was released and utilised.

However, Lamorde stated that for 2014, while the commission proposed N21bn as its total budget, the Budget Office of the Federation reduced it to N10.2bn.

But lawmakers observed that the personnel cost for 2014 increased by N1bn (N6.8bn) above the N5.8bn approved for last year and sought explanations for the increase.

Defending the N1bn difference, Lamorde said it would cover “incremental adjustments” in members of staff salaries and promotions for this year.

He added that contributions to pension funds and the National Health Insurance Scheme of members of staff would also rise this year.

Lamorde also told the committee that the commission would carry out