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Group seeks Reps’ passage of money laundering, asset declaration bills

By Otei Oham, Abuja
27 July 2016   |   1:15 am
A Coalition of anti-corruption bodies, under the aegis of Civil Society Network Against Corruption seeks accelerated passage and reviews of corruption-related bills pending before the National Assembly.
Members of the House of Representatives at a plenary. PHOTO: TWITTER/DOGARA

Members of the House of Representatives at a plenary. PHOTO: TWITTER/DOGARA

A Coalition of anti-corruption bodies, under the aegis of Civil Society Network Against Corruption seeks accelerated passage and reviews of corruption-related bills pending before the National Assembly.

This is with a view to quickly dispensing with several cases of money laundering and asset declarations before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB),

During a courtesy call to the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes, Kayode Oladele, Chairman, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Olanrewaju Suraja noted that the reason the corruption fight is appearing insincere and lopsided is the weak and chaotic nature of existing corruption laws.

To give substantial powers to the agencies, President Muhammadu Buhari had on January 27, 2016 forwarded a bill tagged; “An Act to Repeal the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) to Provide for Measures for the Prevention and Prohibition of Money Laundering in Nigeria and for Other Related Matters, 2016.’’

The bill, aimed at repealing the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 is to among others, provide jail terms for citizens, who are aware of money laundering acts but fail to report such cases to the appropriate authorities.

While on the visit to the House Committee in the company of Team Leader, Governance and Peace Building, United Nations Development Programme, Kehinde Bolaji, Suraja said the bill, when considered and passed, alongside Mutual Legal Assistance and Assets Declaration bills also before the lawmakers, would further demonstrate legislative commitment to the anti-corruption campaign.

He hoped that with legislative backing, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would successfully strengthen out the country’s anti corruption laws and make its determination to stamping out corruption a reality.

Responding, Kayode Oladele assured that the legislature would continue to support President Buhari’s efforts to fight corruption through enhanced legislations and called on the group to be sincere in its support for the fight.

He said it was based on government’s commitment to anti- corruption campaign that Nigeria was admitted into the Economic Group of Financial Intelligence, adding that government is further making efforts to join the Financial Action Task Force in view of the successes the government is recording so far in that direction.

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