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Senate seeks more independence for EFCC, ICPC
- By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja - posted on Tuesday 2nd June 2009 TO ensure greater autonomy, the Senate is working on fresh legislation to completely free the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from their dependence on the Presidency in their operations.
One of the measures would be to give the EFCC chairman a statutory four-year tenure in addition to provisions that would make the removal of members of both commissions subject to the approval of the Senate.
Consequently, the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Anti-Corruption, which has the mandate of the Upper House to prepare the amendments, is convening a public hearing on the matter today at the National Assembly.
Also, the amendment would empower the ICPC to initiate investigations without waiting for petitions from any complainant on any matter.
The EFCC amendment bill also confers on the commission the responsibility of prosecuting political office holders indicted on corruption charges.
Key provisions in the bill include an amendment to Section 44 of the substantive EFCC Act, which would grant the commission independence in its dealings.
The amendment reads: "Except in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 (2) and Section 30 (4) of this Act and without prejudice to the provision of Section 174 of the Constitution, in the exercise of its functions, the Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any authority or person."
Section 6 of the amendment bill detailing the exclusive role of the EFCC in the prosecution of political office holders also stipulates that:
"It shall be the primary responsibility of the Commission to investigate and prosecute elected or appointed Federal and State Governments political office holders."
A provision in Section 8 (4)(5) to guarantee the tenure of the chairman provides thus:
"Where any officer or person is appointed under Subsection 3 of this section, such officer or person shall hold such appointment for a minimum of four years unless the Commission decides otherwise; and
"Any person approving the deployment or secondment of such officer or person shall be deemed to have consented to the release of such officer or person for the period mentioned in Subsection (4) above.
News Source: The Guardian
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