The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, urging them to urgently publish all reports of completed public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly since the return of democracy in 1999.
SERAP also urged them to disclose the number and details of public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly that have resulted in any indictment of suspects, and to name such suspects.
In the FoI requests dated 25 July, 2020 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, it said the reports should be sent to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies to consider if there is sufficient admissible evidence to pursue prosecution.
The organization said publishing the reports of hearings and probes would bolster public trust and confidence in the oversight functions and dispel the perception that many of the hearings and probes are politically motivated and serve personal interest, rather than the general public interests.
The FoI requests read in part: ”We urge you to sponsor a resolution to stop lawmakers from directly getting involved in the execution of projects by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure the proper and effective exercise of oversight functions, including investigations of corruption allegations, such as those involving the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
”We also urge you to urgently use the opportunity of the ongoing public hearings and corruption probes to influence Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda, including by immediately amending section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act on independent counsel for corruption.
”Section 52 requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria to authorise an independent counsel to investigate any allegation of corruption against high level public officials, and to report his/her findings to the National Assembly or appropriate house of assembly.
THISDAY
