Rivers Anti-Corruption Network, ACoNet, a coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Rivers State has urged anti-graft agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission(ICPC) to revisit the “absurd perpetual injunction” placed against the investigation of Rivers State Government officials in order to enable tracking of their activities while in office.
ACoNet stated this in Port Harcourt on Friday during the 2019 International Anti-Corruption day which will hold on 9th December 2019.
The statement was jointly signed by Sebastian Kpalap(Citizens Voice Initiative), Kelechi Uzoma(Gender and Development Action), Arochukwu Ogbonna (Civil Rights Council), Henry Eferegbo (Partners For Peace), Mercy Christophe r(Relief International Africa) and read by Ambassador Green Isaac ,a Project Officer with the Social Development Integrated Centre (also known as Social action).
They demanded that EFCC and ICPC should demonstrate how transparent and accountable they are in carrying out their mandate by availing the group all necessary documents bothering on corrupt cases and the officials involved to enable the Network to advance their anti-corruption crusade and advocacy
They advocated for a special tribunal to be set up to adjudicate on corruption cases in order to take up petitions of reported Government officials.
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The group called on Rivers State Government to make the State budget available and accessible to citizens and the public as such gesture by the Government will enable tracking governance and enthrone accountability.
The Network frowned at situation where key Government institutions in the state such as office of Accountant General, Audit General and Bureau of Public Procurement declined responding to several letters written by the anti-corruption group in line with the Freedom of Information(FoI) act requesting for information on how much funds were released for projects in 2018 and other past years.
The group alleged that some of the projects contained in 2018 budget such as clearing of site for new Government approved school Borikiri, construction of landing Jetty at Abyssa in Akuku-Toru Local Government area, Renovation of staff quarters at Ignatius Ajuru University Of Education, Rehabilitation of staff quarters at Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt and construction of annex building to senate block at Rivers State University were not executed.
