House of Representatives has elected to set a limit and timeframe for any person appointed as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on acting capacity.
The House is also providing the Commission power to retain a percentage of loot recovered to run its operations.
Similarly, the parliament will also restructure the composition of the Commission to include members of independent organizations in its membership, establish operations review committee, set up a witness protection unit, detention unit, and compensation of victims of financial crimes.
Henceforth, the Commission will also have the powers to disqualify convicted persons from holding or continuing to hold public offices.
The powers are to be given in four different bills seeking to tinker with the act establishing the Commission.
The Bills are being sponsored by Rep. Ossai Nicholas Ossai from Delta State; Rep. Tajudeen Yusuf from Kogi State; Rep. Olawale Tasir Raji and Rep. Kabiru Ibrahim Tukura.
They included “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Act, Cap. E1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for Restructuring the Composition of the Commission by including Members of Independent Organizations in its Membership, Establishment of Operations Review Committee, Witness Protection Unit, Detention Unit and Compensation of Victims of Financial Crimes and Disqualification of Convicted Persons from holding or continuing to hold Public Offices; and for Related Matters (HB.957)
“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap. E1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make provisions for a limit and time frame within which a Person appointed as the Acting Executive Chairman of the Commission can occupy the Office in an Acting Capacity, provide for the Commission to Retain a Percentage of the Loot recovered to Fund its Operations; and for Related Matters (HB.1073).
“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap. E1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters (HB. 1030)
“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap. E1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters (HB. 1089).
At Tuesday, December 15, 2020, plenary, Rep. Abubakar Fulata moved for the consolidation of the 4 Bills. The motion was seconded by Rep. Segun Odebunmi.
The Bill was now voted on, approved for consolidation, and the committee on rules and business was told to schedule a date for the debate of the general principles of the Bills.
But it was then discovered that the first bill by Rep. Nicholas Ossai may have gone through the entire process up till 3rd reading.
This prompted the Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila to call for clarification to properly guided in its decision. A new date is to be announced for the debate.
Source: Vanguard
