Worried by the high rate of corruption in public offices in the country, a group, under the aegis of the Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the umbrella body of all the youth organisations in the South-East geo-political zone of the federation has called on the Abia State government to promulgate anti-corruption law to curb the menace in the state.
The group, in a statement issued yesterday by its President General, Goodluck Ibem and the Secretary-General, Kannice Igwe said it arrived at the decision after a careful study of the merits of the Lagos State Anti-Corruption law. The statement, therefore, urged the state House of Assembly to emulate its Lagos State counterpart.
The statement reads in part: “The law is pertinent because it will entrench accountability in governance and check malfeasance among public office holders entrusted with the commonwealth of the people. It will strengthen good governance and probity.
“The Anti-Corruption agency bill, if passed into law, would be independent, free from any interference of the executive and legislative organs of state government, and would complement efforts of similar agencies at the federal level.” It further added: “The state prosecution of looters will not remove any form of sentiment and victimisation by the political party in power.
It will be more transparent and fair when states recover their looted funds by themselves. “Government and democracy is about the people and as representatives of the people we demand that the Abia State House of Assembly should, as a matter of urgent importance, put machinery in motion to make a law for the establishment of Abia State Anti-Corruption Agency, whose duty will be to prosecute and recover any misappropriated funds from the state treasury. “This pro-people law, if promulgated will curb corruption, strengthen good governance and restore power back to the people, who elected the political office holders to represent them.”
