Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in collaboration with House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes, Open Government Partnership (OGP) and Federal Ministry of Justice and with sponsorship from TrustAfrica held a 2 days leadership training workshop for legislators and staff of the House of Representatives Committee on financial crimes. The workshop held in Abuja between 31 July and 1 August 2018.
The workshop focused on the impact of corruption on socio-economic and political reform and the strategies to be deployed in combating corruption in Nigeria. The training drew participation from various stakeholders including civil society groups, federal government agencies, the national assembly, media and the public. The workshop was a consultative session with the House of Representative Committee on Financial Crimes on bridging the gaps in the existing legal framework and strategies for passage of pending anti-corruption bills in Nigeria.
The House of Representative Committee on Financial Crimes represented by the Chairman spoke on the need to institutionalize anti-corruption as a viable tool in the fight against corruption by establishing institutions with core focus on corruption that will effectively probe allegations of corruption irrespective of an administration’s political will and determination.
The workshop allowed participants to discuss some of the contributions of the National Assembly in the fight against corruption, including review and passage of laws and policies on anticorruption such as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit Act, the Proceeds of Crime Bill, the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, Terrorism Prohibition and Prevention Bill which will replace the current Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (amended in 2013), the EFCC Act (Amendment) Bill and the Money Laundry Act (Amendment) Bill.
At the close of the interactive sessions, participants commended the timely and apt effort of the House Committee on the review and enactment of anti-corruption laws and called for synergy with existing and new laws and policies, and likewise, proper implementation of these laws to effectively curb corruption in Nigeria.
