A civil society organisation, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, on Tuesday, rejected a bill by the house of representatives for an agency to manage forfeited assets in the country.

HEDA was speaking on the bill seeking to establish a new agency to manage recovered and forfeited assets, which was discussed at plenary by the house of representatives on Thursday.

The bill is titled: Proceeds Of Crimes Agency And The Forfeited Assets Management (Establishment) Bill 2021. 

In a press release made available to Peoples Gazette on Tuesday, HEDA opined that the “creation of a new agency is contrary to government reports on the reduction of agencies”. 

HEDA is asking for new staff should be employed by the law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to “manage and dispose of forfeited assets.”

The anti-corruption group said that the creation of a new agency was inimical to collaboration and efficient management of proceeds of crimes. 

HEDA worries that the new agency would have conflicting power of management, freezing, recovery, disposal, seizure, tracing and confiscation similar to existing ACAs and LEAs. 

On funding the new agency, HEDA said it was “impracticable and impossible, considering the inability of Ministry of Justice to currently fund recovery of assets but rather employing services of external lawyers on no win, no fee basis.”

HEDA said that the handling of the exhibits could jeopardize the prosecution process and it would be very disruptive considering the controversy surrounding the assets recently seized by the Attorney General of the Federation. 

The anti-corruption group said there should be a central database in the Attorney General’s office and a quarterly report to the National Assembly Public Accounts Committees, with the record of court cases and the national database kept in the public for scrutiny.