EFCC Presents N76.586bn Budget Proposal To House Of Reps

Abdulazeez Abdulwahab 

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, 5 December 2023, presented a budget of Seventy-Six Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty-Six Million Naira (N76.586,000,000.00) as its budget proposal for 2024 to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Crimes.

The proposed budget represents a 53.48% increase over and above the Commission’s 2023 appropriation of Forty-Nine Billion, Nine Hundred and One Million Naira (N49.901,000,000.00).  In the budget estimate,  a total sum of Thirty-Seven Billion, Seventy-Four Million Naira (N37.074,000,000.00) was proposed as personnel cost, Fourteen Billion, Five Hundred and Thirteen Million Naira (N14.513,000,000.00)  as overhead cost and Twenty-Five Billion Naira (N25.000,000,000.00) as capital cost.

Presenting the budget to the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes,  Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede stated that the 2024 proposed estimate of Seventy-Six Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty-Six Million Naira (N76.586,000,000.00)  represented a significant increase over  2023’s Forty-Nine Billion, Nine Hundred and One Million Naira (N49.901,000,000.00) budget owing to additional funds needed for overhead, personnel and capital costs.

“This increase is solely attributable to the increase in personnel cost from N36.834,000,000.00 to N37.074,000,000.00 in 2024, overhead cost from N10.535,000,000.00 to 14.513,000,000.00 in 2024 and capital cost from N2.531,000,000.00 to N25.000,000,000.00 in 2024,” he said.

Commenting on the 2023 budget performance, Olukoyede explained that the sum of N36.835,000,000.00 was appropriated as the Commission’s personnel cost for the year, “out of this figure, the sum of N28.452,000,000.00 representing 77% has been released for the payment of salary and allowances of staff on the Commission’s payroll between January and November 2023. 

He added that “the sum of N7.024,000,000.00 representing 67% of the N10.535,000,000.00 appropriated for the Commission for its overhead cost in 2023 has so far been released.”

The EFCC Chairman further stated that the Commission’s request for additional funds for overhead is due to the high cost of air travel tickets, motor vehicle fuel cost, diesel cost and high cost of maintenance of buildings, operational vehicles and office equipment in the headquarters and fourteen Zonal Commands.

He appreciated the Committee’s support for the Commission in the discharge of its duties and the successes it is achieving in the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

Responding, the Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes, Ginger Obinna stated that financial crimes pose a significant threat to the stability and progress of any economy. “In recent years, our nation has witnessed a surge in sophisticated financial crimes that demand our immediate attention and robust defence mechanisms. From money laundering to cybercrimes, the challenges are multifaceted and ever-evolving. 

“It is our duty to stay ahead of these threats, adapt our strategies and equip ourselves adequately to counteract the forces that seek to undermine our economic well-being and that of our nation.”

He stated that the budget’s defence and discussions on issues related to it were a reflection of the Committee’s commitment to creating an environment where citizens can trust the financial institutions that drive the economy and which will empower the EFCC to carry out its vital duty. “It is a pledge to provide the necessary resources to empower the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to carry out its vital mission effectively,” he said.

Eighteen-Eleven Media