Okonjo-Iweala decries delay in trial of fraud cases
From Mathias Okwe, Abuja with NAN report
FINANCE Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday in Abuja said the slow nature of the nation's judicial system is frustrating vigorous pursuit and prosecution of economic crimes by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
"EFCC has now over 500 people in custody with over 50 cases in court but only one conviction due to the slow nurture of the judicial system," she said.
The minister spoke in Abuja at a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps and donor community.
It was meant to acquaint and update the diplomats on the progress so far made on Nigerian economic reform agenda.
On the administration's anti-corruption, transparency and accountability drive, Okonjo-Iweala informed her guests that the EFCC had recovered about N10 billion from drug suspects.
She said that the commission had also succeeded in waging war against crude oil bunkerers, thus reducing theft from 80,000 t0 20,000 barrels per day.
She added that the Due Process Unit succeeded in cutting down the cost of government contracts resulting in a saving of $1.25 billion since the inception of the unit.
Okonjo-Iweala said that this anti-corruption posture of government also led to the dismissal of two High Court judges while two others were suspended.
On public expenditure reforms agenda, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government would give matching grants to states and local councils in the 2005 budget.
"States and local councils would be included in donor funded projects primarily on the basis of performances on public expenditures management, transparency, good governance and commitment to poverty reducing sectorial programme," she said.
According to her, the 2005 budget would focus on the completion of uncompleted projects and payment of the arrears owed contractors.
On the administration's public revenue reform policy, the minister told her audience that over 4,200 drivers had been laid off from the civil service.
"113 officers of the Customs Services have been discharged, 30 terminated for corrupt practices and other malpractice and 83 retired," she said.
Speaking on the civil service reform efforts, the minister disclosed that 3,000 ghost workers were weeded from the MFCI, while 338 others were flushed out of the finance ministry.
Okonjo-Iweala listed poor infrastructure, roads, water, power, education and health as some of the major challenges facing Nigeria.
"The power sector needs one billion dollars per year for the next five years, roads $700 million while NEEDS financing gaps is $4.5 billion," she said.
She appealed to the diplomats to support the administration's efforts to move Nigeria forward, stressing that the development of the country would rub off positively on other nations in the continent.
She said part of the efforts to put the nation on the path of quick economic recovery and boost global confidence was the ratification of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), pact meant to ensure transparency in the management of oil proceeds in the country.
To this end, the minister told the envoys that the Federal Government through her ministry has begun the process of auditing oil revenues accounts of five years beginning from May, 1999 when the present political dispensation began to December 2003.
Already, Okonjo-Iweala said consultants have been picked while the terms of references (TORs) for the audits have also been worked out and are ready for the commencement of work by the consultants.`
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