When the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was established and Deputy Commissioner of Police Nuhu Ribadu was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 to head the anti-graft commission, this writer was then the managing editor of the police newspaper, “The Dawn,” a newspaper established under the Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro. Before his appointment, Ribadu was then the head of the legal department at the Force Headquaters, Abuja.
With the assistance of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who was the head of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), the orgarnogram of the new agency was birthed before personnel from the police, SSS and BPE constituted the initial staff of the agency. Within months, more police officers were drafted to the agency. The agency is the Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud (419) and money laundering.
Of course, it was in response to international pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries not cooperating in the international community’s efforts to fight money laundering.
One persistent error that looks like an unwritten directive is the high number of northern staff in the agency: over 75 per cent, and merely 25 per cent from the rest of the country. An unpopular idea injected into the agency. Many had consistently questioned the rationale, why, since its establishment, all the heads of the commission have been northerners while the staff strength had been the ratio as stated earlier. Such imbalance in staff recruitment does not augur well for the anticipated new orientation in the country. Federal institutions and agencies should have a balanced share of ethnic recruitment.
Even the recent bill on the floor of the National Assembly, which passed the second reading, ought to include the ethnic balancing of staff, while the issue of unnecessary tampering with the leadership tenure by the executive is protected under the Constitution.
The new bill, seeks to limit the President’s powers to remove the chairperson of the anti-graft agency. The bill, which seeks to amend the EFCC Act, to subject the termination of the appointment of the chairperson of the commission to the confirmation of the Senate “in order to guarantee the security of tenure, was sponsored by the Senate Minority Whip, Chukwuka Utazi, from Enugu North.
Among the prayers is the security of tenure for the chairperson of the commission.
They argue that all anti-graft agencies, including ICPC and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), had the security of tenure by ensuring that their appointments and removal, as the case may be, were subject to the confirmation of the Senate.
He further added that another proposed amendment was to restrict the appointment of the chairperson to EFCC staffers.
While applauding the spirit behind the bill, the appointment of the chairman should completely be off the ambit of the Presidency, bearing in mind that the President is a political office holder and could, at his whims and caprices, influence the direction of investigation of loyal politicians who are suspects of corruption. The. commission should be an autonomous agency under a constituted body devoid of any interference from either the Presidency or the legislature.
A senior Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr. Iyke Imoh, believes in the complete autonomy of the commission, adding, “it is a laudable initiative.” Anytime you have an ombudsman that is mutual and impartial, it can only be for the good and service of the people. “However, I do not see any political will to implement whatsoever the legislators are about to turn into law.”
Many are of the opinion that the legislators should focus more on the how the chairman is appointed not by the office of the President and they should ensure that recruitment has Federal Character, while the chairman is made to face a consistuted body, thereby removing the commission from the apron strings of the Presidency for complete overhaul.
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Nigeria: What a country! (2)
Behold, citizens of Nigeria are unanimous that, indeed, there are fundamental problems facing the 60 years old independent country.
This is a country whose government waits for general election before fixing census exercise.
A country where democratically elected governments lied to the electorate on virtually every issue affecting them. Issues like electricity, fixing the refineries. What a country, where five democratically elected state governors, top class traditional rulers, security leaders and notable elders have allowed ruffians and armed youths to hold the states hostage every Monday, while the people like toothless dogs tuck their tails in between their legs in trepidation and fear. What a country! Where security vote allocation has turned out to be free money for state governors and painfully, for over eight years, no state has built either a factory nor an industry to refine raw fruits found in their states, like those abundantly littering Benue State and others, but are left to waste away. What a country!
So painful, that corruption is now a competitive act among age grades, organizations and public and private institutions. That is the country where hell is let loose each time there is general election.
A country where children are no longer taught decent living and good morality and, unfortunately, lying has developed into cheating and stealing that has upgraded into corruption and robbery. A country where leaders find it extremely impossible to resign their office even when they have erred against the law of the land. What a country.
Despite its abundant natural resources and human intellect, yet the government is indebted through foreign borrowing to the tume of approximately N50 trillion while over 20 million children are out of school around the country.
A country that cannot boast of two kilometres stretch of road without bumps and dislocations. What a country. A country where “Man know man” is the trend during recruitment exercises and promotion, instead of personal qualification and ability.
What a country, where evil and corrupt people receive applause, instead of condemnation and further shaming them publicly. A country where accountability is alien while corruption has become the opium that energises the people. What a country. Truly, the country needs redemption.
(Concluded)
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SECURITY FILE joins all serving security personnel as they felicitate the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces on his memorable 80th birthday. He is an ardent reader of this column. Happy and graceful birthday, Mr. President.
