Retain anti-corruption institutions, NGOs urge

Nigeria should strengthen its Corrupt Practices Act, retain the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and strengthen the latter's powers to investigate and prosecute corruption cases, NGOs urged on Thursday. The call came from Transparency International, Transparency Nigeria and the Zero Corruption Coalition, a group of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a press statement, Transparency International said that a repeal of Nigeria's Anti-Corruption Act would reduce the commission to a toothless agency with no power to investigate or prosecute. "We strongly call on the National Assembly, if it insists on repealing the Act and enacting a new Bill, to adopt a transparent, ethical and inclusive process that allows members of the public and all stakeholders to participate fully in determining the resulting legislation," Lilian Ekeanyanwu, coordinator of Transparency Nigeria and the Zero Corruption Coalition, said. "Preserving and strengthening the anti-corruption bill will effectively signal the National Assembly's commitment to the anti-corruption campaign." Nigeria's Senate initiated the process to repeal the act on 6 February. On 25 February it passed a new act which has now gone to the House of Representatives for review. Once passed by both chambers, the act would be signed by President Olusegun Obasanjo. "The entire process of review and amendment was shrouded in secrecy and rushed through in an unprecedented manner; public hearings were dispensed with and house rules were suspended to accelerate the process," Transparency said. "The legislation that emerged strips the Anti-Corruption Commission of its pro-active powers of investigation, prosecution and forfeiture of ill-acquired assets." "Transparency Nigeria urges Nigerian politicians not to hamstring anti-corruption efforts in order to protect their own interests and to show the necessary political will to equip the country with solid anti-corruption legislation - one of the necessary prerequisites for preventing and combating corruption," the statement said.