…suspend commission’s 2010 budget

By Tordue Salem

ABUJA—The House of Representatives weekend, issued a statement accusing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of lacking in transparency and has promptly withheld the Commission’s budget for the year 2010.

In a letter to EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finacial Crimes, Drugs and Narcotics, Rep. Nasir Rabe (PDP/ Katsina), said the inability of the Commission to submit to the National Assembly its quarterly reports has been an obstacle to the functionality of the Committee.

“Quarterly Reports reflecting your periodic activities including achievements and constraints (normally submitted every three months) have not been submitted to this committee by the Commission in the last 18 months.

“Report on budget performance for the current year, 2009 has never been written to the committee even though the Committee overlooked this dereliction in respect of the 2008 budget exercise.

“It is evident that due to the above, the Committee has not been able to fully and satisfactorily discharge its constitutional oversight functions on EFCC”, the letter stated.

The statement signed by Rep. Rabe said Mrs.Waziri has refused to answer all letters written to the Commission demanding the submission of the said documents.