EFCC To Get N8bn New Head Office

The Federal Government will spend N7.912bn on a new head office for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission this year.The sum is part of the N18.887bn allocated to the commission in the 2016 Appropriation Act recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.Details of the

budget are currently on the website of the Budget Office, Punch reports.The commission’s current head office is located on Fomella Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.According to the details, the commission’s total recurrent expenditure is put at N10.402bn
while its total capital is N8.485bn.Apart from the N7.912bn allocated for the new head office, another N58.434m is budgeted for the construction of office building while N12.073m is expected to be spent on the construction-fencing of the commission’s staff quarters’ plots of land.The EFCC will also be spending N339.939m on legal services this year. A chunk of the sum is expected to be paid to lawyers handling its numerous court cases.With the renewed anti-corruption fight of the present administration, the EFCC has witnessed an upsurge in corruption cases being prosecuted in courts.Majority of the cases currently being pursued by the commission are those related to the alleged $15bn arms contract scandal involving a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as well as the $115m allegedly involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.Former ministers, former service chiefs, chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and bank chiefs among other individuals and firms are currently standing trial in relation to the cases.There are expectations that the commission will still arrest and prosecute more suspects in connection with the cases.The commission will also buy operational vehicles worth N220.6m; N162.272m for the procurement and upgrade of Microsoft product licences, network services and system upgrade as well as electricity power back-up.Other expenses in the commission’s budget for the year are the purchase of security equipment – N48m; purchase of furniture, air conditioners, fire extinguishers and others – N32.440m; purchase of scanners, water dispenser and spiral binding machine – N5.850m; purchase of industrial shredding machine – N1.275m: and purchase of books – N12.665m.Others are procurement of computer printers – N819,000; purchase of photocopiers – N3.240m; and purchase of medical and laboratory equipment –N15m.On security services, the EFCC will spend N14.4m on the engagement of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and security dogs; sporting activities will gulp N48.815m; postages and courier services – N57.995m; medical services – N13.325m; publicity and advertisement – N83.282m; honorarium and sitting allowances – N21.656m, as well as refreshment and meals – N18.325m.