February 10, 2009
ABUJA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - European donors may cut funding for Nigeria's anti-corruption police next year if the government does not show clearer results in its fight against graft, Western diplomats say.The European Union is by far the biggest foreign donor to Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), providing a total of $32 million over the last four years or about 85 percent of the agency's foreign support.
"There have been low-level discussions about cutting some funding to the EFCC if things do not improve dramatically," said one Western diplomat working in Nigeria's capital Abuja.
"We are in a global recession. It shouldn't be a surprise there is a reluctance to throw more money at projects that clearly do not work."
Any drop in EU funding -- the current round expires at the end of the year -- would have a significant impact on anti-graft efforts as foreign money makes up a quarter of the EFCC's annual budget. It would also be seen by foreign investors as a vote of no-confidence in Yar'Adua's anti-graft drive.
President Umaru Yar'Adua came to power nearly two years ago pledging zero tolerance for graft and promising a new departure in a nation ranked one of the most corrupt in the world.
But critics question his commitment. They say powerful ex-state governors under fraud and money-laundering investigations are sabotaging the campaign.
The EFCC has charged 10 former state governors with graft since Yar'Adua took office, but only one has been convicted.
Those critics hope a Supreme Court ruling throwing out challenges to Yar'Adua's 2007 election and a newly reshuffled cabinet in place may give him the will to show more muscle.
"He still has time. This year is a real opportunity for him to show some political will. But the signs are not encouraging," said one expatriate in Abuja, who asked not to be identified.
ENDEMIC
Graft is endemic in Africa's most populous nation, from policemen at checkpoints demanding bribes to senior officials accused of embezzling millions of dollars.
Since taking the helm at the head of the EFCC last June, Farida Waziri has not received the same international respect as her predecessor, Nuhu Ribadu, who was credited with the prosecution of several former top government officials.
Ribadu, who said last year an apparent attempt had been made on his life and that he had received threatening phone calls, estimated that 40 percent of state revenues were plundered or wasted in Africa's top oil producer.
"The fight against corruption is not what it was under Ribadu," said another Western diplomat. "It does not seem to a be a priority anymore."
Some diplomats believe Yar'Adua should replace Waziri, a former high-ranking police officer.
The EFCC defended its record, saying it has made more than 36 convictions in the last seven months and recovered over 15 billion naira ($102 million) in financial fraud cases.
"The slow progress affecting the cases of some former governors is due to their multiple applications to stall the process," said spokesman Femi Babafemi, adding the agency has hired more lawyers to fight the legal wrangling. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/ ) (Editing by Nick Tattersall and Matthew Jones)
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