Enugu State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill seeking to establish the Enugu State Anti-Corruption and Transparency Commission and for Connected Purposes, House Bill No. 5.
By Ifeoma Aka
Enugu State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill seeking to establish the Enugu State Anti-Corruption and Transparency Commission and for Connected Purposes, House Bill No. 5.
The Executive bill was sponsored by the Leader of the assembly, Chief Iloabuchi Aniagu (PDP Nkanu West).
He said that the bill was timely and apt.
Aniagu said that the bill would checkmate corruption among government officials, corporate organisations and individuals in the state and urged his colleagues to support it.
He said that although the EFCC and other agencies are fighting corruption yet the state-owned anti-corruption commission would be more committed in fighting corruption in the state.
“This commission will investigate all financial crimes involving individuals and government agencies. Enugu State having its own anti-corruption agency is a good thing for the state,” Aniagu said.
Speaking, the Member representing Enugu South Rural constituency, Ms Obiajulu Ugwu, enjoined members of the commission to be transparent when inaugurated.
“There should be a periodic declaration of assets and liability for accountability,” she said.
Contributing, Mr Williams Amuka, representing Igbo-Etiti West constituency said the agency would go a long way in checking corruption as “people find it difficult to report issues to EFCC.
“So many corrupt practices are going on in the state but they are not reported to the EFCC, and because they are not reported, actions are hardly taken.
“Establishing the agency will reduce, to the barest minimum, any form of crime and criminality.”
On his part, Mr Okey Mbah of Nkanu East, said that the commission would serve as a wakeup call to office holders to ensure that monies were spent judiciously for the purpose they were meant for.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the members that contributed to the debate supported its establishment and moved that the bill be passed. ((NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
