THE House of Representatives, on Wednesday, threw its weight behind a bill that seeks to overhaul the headship of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

by making only retired judicial officers from the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal, to head the commission. The bill also plans to outlaw anonymous whistle-blowing.

This followed the passage for the second reading of a bill for an act to amend the EFCC Act, Cap. E1 LFN 2004 and for other related matters, sponsored by Honourable Bassey Ewa.

If the amendments scale through, Mrs Farida Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and current chairman of the EFCC, will be unqualified to continue as the commission’s boss, while the new investigation unit being proposed in the amendments to be headed by a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police.

He argued that allowing a senior police officer to head the investigation unit of the EFCC would provide a direction for the commission in terms of charges to be preferred against an accused.

Introducing the bill, Honourable Ewa said appointing retired justices as head of the anti-corruption agency would give it the desired clear-headedness to carry out its responsibilities, without necessarily allowing itself to be used for political witch-hunting.

The two amendments, according to him, were needed to reposition a commission that had increasingly turned to a political tool against perceived enemies in recent times.

Other lawmakers, while contributing to the amendment, criticised the commission under Mrs Waziri and equally argued that accommodating anonymous petitions violated the Evidence Act, which requires a petitioner to be identified and placed as a witness.

In his contribution, Honourable Kamil Akinlabi said the EFCC, as currently constituted, “has become a tool for political witch-hunt,” adding that appointing a retired justice of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal to head it would bring about the necessary sanity and insulate it from undue interference.

Honourable Emmanuel Jime, on his part, called for a total overhaul of the corruption fighting agencies in the country, adding that “we may have to look at the possibility of joining the EFCC and the ICPC for greater efficiency.”

Honourable Bimbo Daramola cautioned that rather than laying emphasis on the leadership of institutions, “we should work towards strengthening the institutions, so that even if somebody comes into office with a wrong mentality, the law would ensure that he does not deviate. We can tighten the law to prevent people from using the laws to witch-hunt opponents.”

The bill was, however, referred to the House Committees on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Justice for further legislative input.

Meanwhile, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has decried the practice whereby all former public office holders, especially governors, are being taken to the EFCC.

He said his personal view was that the EFCC was unduly targeting the governors, who, he said, only control 26 per cent of the nation’s resources.

According to him, the commission would do better in the fight against corruption if it focuses on 100 per cent of the revenue or, at best, the level of government that controls the lion’s share.

“I am speaking as Amaechi. I am worried that you finish serving your people, then they invite you to EFCC just to rubbish a governor. Nobody takes into account the services that you have rendered.

“Everybody just believes that once you are a governor, you are stealing public money. Some of us have joined to propagate the theory by the Edo State governor that if your child sits for an exam and if he scores 52 per cent, what has he done? Passed. If he scores 26 per cent, what has he done? Failed!

“So, if the EFCC is serious about fighting corruption, they should focus on the 52 per cent and once they can stop corruption in the 52 per cent, then they have passed. Even if they stop corruption in the 26 per cent they have not passed!”

In another development, the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, raised a panel to investigate the alleged shoddy merger and acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc by Access Bank Plc and, as well, reviewed the role played by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) in the process.

The Speaker, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal directed the panel “to investigate the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc and the roles played by the AMCON, Access Bank and the interface of the management team of Intercontinental Bank Plc in the entire process, as well as the involvement of United Alliance Company, a business concern allegedly owned by a director of Access Bank, and report back to the House within two weeks.”

The resolution to probe the acquisition and merger of the Intercontinental Bank and Access Bank was sequel to a motion brought before the House by Honourable Yacoob Alebiosu.

Presenting the motion before the House, Honour-able Alebiosu said “that carefully thought-out reform plan and consolidation policy is essential to the future stability and growth of the Nigeria economy,” adding that “mergers and acquisitions are critical components of a working reform policy in any economy and the driving force of economic re-engineering process”.

According to him, “for the mergers and acquisitions being implemented in the banking sector to positively impact the economy, they must not only be seen to be devoid of underhand deals, but must conform to the international best practices and statutes, adhering to integrity test, in order to prevent the avoidable mistakes of the past.”

The motion, he said, was necessary to safeguard the interests of the stakeholders of the bank.


http://www.punchng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2585:reps-move-to-remove-efcc-boss-waziri&Itemid=542

So our corrupt judges will do a better job?

Afterall they are experinced at carrying out 'Audits' and 'Investigations' into public finances.

smh,

(Bring back Ribadu - That 'Aboki' has my respect - He was bloody effective)

Why RETIRED judges? i dont like that idea at all

Sun of god:

So our corrupt judges will do a better job?

Afterall they are experinced at carrying out 'Audits' and 'Investigations' into public finances.

smh,

(Bring back Ribadu - That 'Aboki' has my respect - He was bloody effective)

You can say that again!