Many Nigerians have kicked against the creation of Proceeds
of Crime Recovery and Management Agency, thus calling for the vitalisation of
the existing Anti-Corruption agencies.
The country has two anti-graft agencies: the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), both established in 2000 and 2003
respectively.
The Federal Executive Council, on Wednesday, announced that
it has sent a bill for the creation of the new agency to the National Assembly.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar
Malami, said the agency is expected to manage all recovered assets across the
country.
“The Office of the Attorney General and the Federal Ministry
of Justice presented a council memo today. The council memo is about a bill
which sought the approval of the council to transmit to the National Assembly
for passage a bill on the management of recovered assets.
“It is a Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Agency
Bill. It is in essence, a bill that is targeted and intended to have in place,
a legal and institutional framework.
Mr Malami explained that the new agency would help
coordinate the management of recovered assets, unlike the current situation,
where such assets are managed by multiple agencies.
“What happened before now was that the proceeds of crime
were scattered all over and mostly in the hands of different and multiple
agencies of government inclusive of the Police, the Directorate of State
Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other related offences Commission, including the Ministry of
Justice.”
Reactions
While some accused Mr Malami of being interested in usurping
the management of the proceeds from corruption, others called for the
strengthening of the ICPC and EFCC.
In 2019, Mr Malami asked the National Assembly to approve a
commission of 2.5 per cent of recovered loots to be paid to the Asset Recovery
Unit in his office.
The money, according to him, while defending his ministry’s
budget for 2020 in the National Assembly, will be used to “service bills”.
Recall that the suspended acting chairman of the EFCC,
Ibrahim Magu, accused the Attorney-General of working with the commission in
the disposal of vessels involved in illegal activities to the extent of
sabotaging the country to the tune of N283 million in recovered assets.
Also, some persons questioned the sincerity of the
anti-Corruption fight under the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, and raised
concerns about the duplicity of agencies and its effect on the cost of
governance.
Mr Buhari had, in 2019, vowed to cut down the cost of
governance through necessary measures including a review of the Steve Oronsaye
report, which recommended the rationalisation of government parastatals and
agencies.
Speaking to Premiumtimes on Thursday, a human rights lawyer,
Inibehe Effiong, described the proposed agency as “unnecessary and
nonsensical”.
“It is nonsense to me. To begin with, if there are assets
recovered from criminal suspects and corrupt individuals, they are supposed to
be remitted into the Federation account. It is going to go into the public
revenue of the Federation. After that, the national assembly must now
appropriate by way of budget. The government on its own does not have powers to
start spending.
“If it is about recovery of looted assets, it is nonsensical
to create a new agency. EFCC already has the powers to do that under its
establishment act. This is another multiplication of executive agencies which
does not have any bearing in fighting corruption.”
“If the federal government is keen on fighting corruption,
it is supposed to strengthen EFCC. We don’t need another similar agency,” he
added.
Mr Effiong, however, urged the National Assembly to throw
out the bill because it does not hold any weight.
Another human rights activist, Festus Ogun, feared that the
creation is meant to achieve a selfish political interest of the Presidency,
and not necessarily to fight corruption.
“Creating a new agency to fight corruption, when we have two
different ones, is an abuse. At a time when Nigerians are advocating the merger
of the EFCC and ICPC to enhance efficiency, the creation of an additional one
can be likened to filling a basket with water.”
Mr Ogun said Nigerians must rally round to resist this
“reckless wastage”.
Meanwhile, when confronted with these reactions, Mr Malami’s
spokesperson, Umar Gwandu, promised to respond to enquiries. He is yet to
respond as of the time of reporting.
Below are other
reactions from social media
You have EFCC and ICPC already handling corruption related
cases. A new agency is a clear waste of taxpayers’ monies.
Buhari’s administration has approved the establishment of a
new anti-corruption agency – Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Agency
(PCRMA).
Of what reason and at whose expense, when we still have ICPC
and EFCC?
Wastage everywhere!
Both EFCC and ICPC have that mandate. I would like to read
the draft bill to understand the rationale, if any.
I reiterate that we need to reduce the number of agencies. I
have often advocated for the introduction of a new rule: For every new agency
you create, scrap at least two existing ones. Still, I would like to read the
draft bill first.
I reiterate that we need to reduce the number of agencies. I have often advocated for the introduction of a new rule: For every new agency you create, scrap at least two existing ones. Still, I would like to read the draft bill first.
— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) September 17, 2020
It is ridiculous to set up yet another government agency for
corruption. This is a government that is borrowing externally to meet recurrent
expenditure!
When you can create departments within the Efcc and ICPC to
do this job.
You are setting up an agency to document and manage
recovered stolen assets
Lmaooo a damn shame
This is madness. why not strengthen the EFCC and the ICPC?
Here comes another directionless idea on creating agencies
for the fun of it.
After over 5 years of haphazard asset recovery with little
or no transparency, instead of strengthening @ICPC_PE @officialEFCC to optimally
deliver on their mandate.
It is quite ridiculous that we have the EFCC, ICPC, CCB,
NFIU & the MOF and yet creating another agency/body with the aim of dealing
with looted funds is on the minds of the AGF & lawmakers.
Why the duplicity?
Suddenly, EFCC and ICPC are not enough.
They want to create a parallel Anti-graft agency.
Very likely, the same role with Extra budget allocated when
we should be cutting costs.
EFCC, ICPC now this.
We were talking about how to cut down by phasing out
duplicitous agencies.
Alas, we are trying to triplicate things.
I don’t see a reason for this agency. EFCC and ICPC should
even be merged into one agency to cut costs. Instead you are creating a new
agency. This government lacks forward thinkers.
culled: Premiumtimes
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