Civil Society Organisation, operating under the aegis of ‘Elites Network for Sustainable Development’ (ENetSuD) has asked the Kwara State Government to establish Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission in the State.
The organisation, noted that there is a need to fight corruption institutionally, as corruption is the major reason the level of growth and development does not commensurate with public fund spent by successive administrations since the return of democracy in the state.
The Coordinator of ENetSuD, Dr. Alagbonsi Abdullateef, made this call while reacting to the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PUCACC) Executive Bill 2021 recently passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly, which was signed into law by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on 19th April, 2021.
The Commission, as reported, will investigate and prosecute officials of the state government and registered contractors, among others, indicted for economic crimes and financial misappropriation.
Alagbonsi said “Even though the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) are playing their roles (within their capacity) to fight corruption nationwide, little has been achieved by them at the state and local government (LG) levels”
“To kill corruption, which is seemingly high at these levels, there is a need to establish an independent state organ that will specialize in the fight against corruption at the state and LG”
“We strongly believe that thorough scrutiny of public fund and government budget execution at the state and LG levels will block diversion of public fund, improve quality service delivery, enhance value-for-money in project execution, and make adequate fund available that will enable KWSG and LGs to meet the needs of the citizenry”.
ENetSuD noted that only 3 states in Nigeria, including Kano, Oyo, and now Lagos, have established PUCACC.
ENetSuD, therefore, urges the Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, to partner on how to establish the PUCACC in Kwara State as soon as possible.
ENetSuD concluded that the promise and desire of the present administration to fight the systemic corruption in Kwara State will manifest only when concrete steps are taken by the government.
