By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government is set to establish a Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission to fight corruption and abuse of power in the civil and public service of the state.
Christened, ‘Bauchi State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission’, its establishment followed the passage of a bill to that effect by the State House of Assembly
The passage of the bill followed the presentation of a report of the House Committee on Public Petitions and Human Rights by its Deputy Chairman, Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo, representing Chiroma Constituency during Thursday plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Danlami Ahmed Kawule.
Bobbo said that the committee had visited Kano and Taraba States that have already enacted similar law to learn from their experiences, as it also invited relevant stakeholders and held a public hearing where memoranda, observations, suggestions, contributions and necessary inputs were obtained.
The committee, its deputy chairman stated, has observed that the fight against corruption is a national trend which should be imbibed and complemented by the Bauchi state government in the efforts to rid the society of crimes and social vices.
Hon. Bakoji Bobbo noted with concern that corruption and abuse of power are common evils that need to be checked in the civil and public service, describing the passage of the bill as timely and desirable so as to curb the menace.
Bobbo said however that the committee recommended for a new Section ‘6’ be added to the bill to provide for the independence of the commission in exercising its powers not be subjected to the direction and control of any authority or power.
The committee similarly, recommended that a new department; Legal and Enforcement should be included into the provisions of the bill and the committee recommendations were all adopted by the lawmakers, and subsequently passed the bill into law after its third reading.
