BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation, has called for enhanced collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to improve the monitoring and implementation of capital projects across federal and state budgets.
The call was made during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, by top BudgIT officials led by Yahyala Kwaga, Group Head of Research and Policy Advisory at the Open Government Partnership and Institutional Partnership (OGIP) unit of the organisation.
In a statement released by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Kwaga emphasized the need for more structured communication channels that allow for anonymous reporting of capital project anomalies, with the aim of aiding EFCC investigations and strengthening accountability in public spending.
“We would like to enhance the reporting and escalation channels for capital projects.
Clear and direct communication avenues that provide anonymity would support your investigative work.
“We also want to offer our expertise in evidence-based policymaking and legislative oversight.
“Our collaboration could extend to the National Assembly Committee on anti-corruption, where we can jointly build institutional transparency tools and engage multiple stakeholders to amplify community voices”, Kwaga said.
Kwaga further advocated for a formalized partnership between BudgIT and the EFCC through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), stating that such an agreement would clarify expectations, roles, and responsibilities and serve as a milestone in their ongoing relationship.
He also proposed specific areas of cooperation, including joint monitoring exercises, capacity building, intelligence and data sharing, and nationwide public awareness campaigns aimed at promoting fiscal transparency and reducing corruption.
In response, Ola Olukoyede, EFCC Chairman, welcomed the initiative and appreciated BudgIT’s consistent support over the years.
He acknowledged the importance of collaborative efforts in ensuring the effective implementation of capital projects.
“Thank you for your longstanding partnership with us. I deeply value our relationship, and we will certainly work with you in areas where your expertise is needed. Budget implementation, especially capital projects, is a priority for us.
“We have deployed human resources to ensure effective monitoring because, if we can achieve even 50 percent implementation of capital projects annually, this country would see significant progress”, Olukoyede said.
Olukoyede stressed the urgency of ensuring value for money in public spending, particularly in a period of constrained government finances.
“Every naira disbursed must be accounted for. It must go where it is meant to go, and Nigerians must benefit from it,” he added.
