The Federal Government has made moves to reduce the enormous powers granted to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in its establishment act following the saga with the immediate past Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
According to a report by Punch, the attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) was behind the introduction of a new bill called the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) act, to whittle down the powers of the office of the Chairman, and create an office of the Director General for the anti-graft commission.
The new bill is also expected to replace the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Establishment Act of 2004.
The report stated further that the bill was put together by Malami on behalf of the Federal Government and was at the transmission stage to the National Assembly where lawmakers are expected to debate on it.
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The news has come on the heels of accusations of sabotage against President Buhari’s war on corruption was levelled on Malami by former EFCC acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu.
The new bill seeks to establish an office of the Director General to be appointed based on the recommendation of the Attorney General and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
The DG will be charged with running the commission instead of the Chairman.
Excerpts from a section of the proposed Bill reads,
“There shall be for the commission, a director-general who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Attorney General subject to the confirmation by the Senate.
“Subject to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section, the Director-General shall be a retired or serving member of any government institution, including any security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of a director or its equivalent or a person from the private sector.
“A person shall not be appointed as a director-general unless he is of proven integrity and has 15 years cognate experience in security, forensic or financial crimes investigation; forensic accounting or auditing; or law practice or enforcement relating to economic and financial crimes or anti-corruption.”
The DG is expected to be in office for a maximum of eight years during which time he will be the head of the EFCC Board which is also composed of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Central Bank, the DG of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, and two Nigerians with 15 years of experience in legal, finance, banking, forensic auditing, as well as the Director of Administration of the Commission.