FG to relocate agencies to buildings seized from ‘looters’

The federal government says it will relocate some of its offices into buildings recovered from alleged looters.

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this at a press briefing on Friday, saying the move will help the government reduce the money spent on rent.

“The issuance of price guidelines and initiatives for reducing expenditure on rent on office and residential buildings will be the primary focus areas of the efficiency unit in coming months,” Adeosun said.

“You may want to know that the average annual expenditure on rent for a three year period of 2012 to 2014 was N3.55 billion.

“And to achieve that, we are already looking at using properties that were forfeited from recoveries and moving some of our agencies to occupy those properties rather than paying rent.”

A total of 183 buildings were among assets which the current administration said it recovered from past government officials.

From the details released by the ministry of information, 146 buildings were recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 33 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), and four by the Office of the national security adviser.

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers had been advocating for adequate utilisation of confiscated properties.

Adeosun added that the efficiency unit of her ministry had already recorded success in cutting government overhead cost in areas such as travels, welfare, honorarium, sitting allowance, training, adverts and publicity as well as refreshments.

“Major savings are expected when on-going engagement with the Bureau of Public Procurement on the pooling of MDAs demands for standard products such as vehicles, computers, diesel and others,” she said.

“We plan to secure large discounts from suppliers and the issuance of Price Guidelines are developed and implemented.

“Price Guidelines will ensure uniformity in the price at which MDAs purchase items, as well as transparency and value for money in the procurement process.’’

She said she was working with states to ensure that they all established efficiency unit since 47.32 per cent of revenue that accrued to the federation goes to the states and local governments.

President Muhammadu Buhari set up the unit to review all federal government’s overhead expenditure to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country.