Following the attempt by the present administration in Oyo State to fight corruption through the establishment of anti-graft agency, the Oyo State House of Assembly has organized public hearing to hear people’s opinion on the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency Bill, 2019.
The public hearing programme, which was held at House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan witnessed the presence of relevant stakeholders including the Commissioner for Justice Bar. Oyelowo Oyewo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs. Funmilayo Orisadeyi, Director General, Due Process, Ms. Tara Adefope and Mr. Shina Olawoye, who represented the Commissioner for Finance.
The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, while enumerating the importance of the bill, said that it is to entrench discipline and good governance in Oyo State as a pace setter state.
“It intends to ensure transparency, accountability, probity and prudence in the management of state resources in various government’s ministries, departments and agencies.”
Hon. Ogundoyin reaffirmed the commitment of the present assembly to source inputs from relevant stakeholders in the state to achieve implementable and acceptable legislations.
He disclosed that efforts have been made over the years to combat corruption in Nigeria particularly under the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that has led to the establishment of Economic and Finance Crime Commission (EFCC), independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Public Procurement Act and Code of Conduct Bureau.
The Speaker said that the effort is to replicate the federal government’s anti-corruption initiative at the state level with Oyo State setting the pace for others.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Bar. Oyelowo Oyewo identified rule of law and zero tolerance for corruption as reasons behind Governor Seyi Mankinde’s decision on the bill.
He maintained that the bill has all weapons to fight corruption and speed up development in the state.
The Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola, who was represented by Mr. Nafiu Oladeinde after identified gray areas in the bill, appealed to all civil servants in the state to have zero tolerance for corruption.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Committee on Public Account, Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Olatunde Kehinde said the idea of the public hearing is to engage the relevant stakeholders on important bills initiated either by the executive, private or legislature to have diverse opinions and inputs.
He pointed out that the Oyo State Anti-Corruption bill when passed into law will be the second in the history of Nigeria after Kano State Public Complaints Anti-Corruption Commission Law, 2008.
Others, who also presented their memoranda at the programme included the state’s Accountant General, Auditor Generals for state and local governments, Heads of Local Governments Administration, representatives from Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Oyo State Comptroller, Immigration Service, Commissioner of Police, Code of Conduct Bureau, National Orientation Agency (NOA), heads of tertiary institutions and non-governmental organizations.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
