A bill for a law to establish the Anambra State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission and for related purposes has scaled through Second Reading at the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that Sponsor of the bill Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme the member representing Ekwusigo Constituency while leading the debate stated that the only means and easier way to address the complains within Anambra State is through this commission.
According to Hon. Ofodeme who is the Majority leader, “This bill if passed into law will make it easy for ndi Anambra to channel their reports and complans instead of going to Abuja.
Speaking in an interview, Ofodeme added by saying “This bill is targeted to end embezzlement of public funds and when ever anyone misappropriate Anambra state funds, with this commission, it will be easy to recover the money and return it back to the state.
“It is an opportunity for whistle blowers to give out information to this agency to enable them do the needful. This will make the people know that there is aways a watchdog” Ofodeme submitted.
Continuing the Majority Leader said, the
membres of the commission compress; a serving member of any government inforcement agency, not below the rank of Commissioner of Police or Director as the case my be, Chairman of Anambra State Internal Revenue services, Accountant General of the state, Auditor General of the state or representative (not below the rank of level 16).
“The target of this law is to curb mis-management and mis-appropriation of funds in Anambra by check-mating the activities within the state.
“This agency is established for the purpose of handling and investigating all anti-corruption and financial crime cases.
” It will help the state recover all money diverted fraudulently. We will no longer be going to EFCC. Many people will sit up when this bill scales through.
‘The bill will empower the agency to handle any offense under the criminal law of the state in relation to corruption and financial crimes, abuse of offices etc’.
Supporting the bill, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye (Awka South two),
Hon. Nobel Igwe (Ogbaru 1), Hon. Ejike Okechukwu (Anaocha two) and Deputy Minority Whip Hon. Nkechi Oguefi (Anaocha one) called for the speedy passage of the bill in order to reduce corruption.
” It is time we reduce the powers on federal government through creating commissions as this. If anyone mismanage fund, he should be probed by an agency domiciled in the state and not at Abuja so that if such money is recovered, it will be transferred back into the coffers of the state were it belongs to”.
Anambra Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze referred the bill to a joint committee on Finance and Appropriation, chaired by Hon. Ejike Okechukwu and Public Account committee chaired by Hon. Nobel Igwe.
The Speaker urged the joint committee to report back to the house in four weeks.
The sitting was adjurned to Thursday 11th April 2024
