The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has assured the
judiciary that the National Assembly is determined to provide any possible
support to enable it to discharge its mandate and tackle corruption in Nigeria.
This is as he also said that the National Assembly had been
at the forefront in the fight against corruption in the country, adding that
the 9th Senate particularly frowns at corruption.
Lawan stated these at a capacity-building workshop for
Judges and Justices which was organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute in Abuja on
Monday.
“We are determined in the National Assembly, even though we
have only one year to go, to give you any possible support to ensure that you
have the wherewithal to discharge your mandate,” Lawan told a gathering of
judges and justices.
The Senate President told the judicial officers with
emphasis that “we are determined as an Assembly to work with the Judicial arm
of government just like we are working with the executive arm of government.
“What we need is a collaboration that will make the judicial
arm of government stand on its feet. The resources so far given to this arm of
government cannot be said to be sufficient but I believe that we can do better.
“I want a situation where in 2023, even before then, if the
opportunity arises, that we make resources available to the judicial arm of
government especially those courts that need the kind of support for them to
prosecute those offenders who have taken our money.”
Lawan said the National Assembly, had been at the forefront
in the fight against corruption in the country.
“This is because the laws have to be made before they are
implemented or actualised by our anti-corruption agencies. So we are fully and
completely involved in the fight against corruption in our country.
“And the ninth National Assembly particularly distinguishes
itself by being anti-corruption. Recently, we passed two very important bills
and I’m happy that Mr President signed them into law – The Money Laundering
Prevention and Prohibition Act and the Proceeds of Crimes, Prevention and Prohibition
Act.
“We are determined in the National Assembly, even though we
have only one year to go, let me assure the Judicial arm of government, that we
are determined to give you any possible support to ensure that you have the
wherewithal to discharge your mandate.
“I’m taking the
opportunity here to charge the Attorney General of the Federation that, let
make 2023 appropriation, a year for the judiciary in Nigeria to always
remember.
“I want to make this promise here that we are going to make
your budget better than 2022 and probably better than at any other time in
2023.
“One thing is clear if we are talking about the judiciary
dynamism, the judiciary must have the resources to be that independent and
efficient and effective.
“Without resources, no matter how hard we try, we cannot be
at the best that we want to be. So it’s about getting more resources and using
them judiciously and I’m sure that that is not the problem. The problem is,
let’s have the resources and I’m giving you that promise.
“Taking those involved in financial crimes to the courts and
prosecuting them and maybe jailing them is supposed to be the last resort.
“We need to do more in the areas of fighting against the
causes of corruption. I will commend the EFCC especially the chairman for
having a record of prosecution of over 2000 last year and already as you will
even have a better outcome or result for 2022.
“But I believe there are causes of corruption in Nigeria and
those of us in the legislature and the executive arm of government are supposed
to do a lot more to ensure that people don’t find it easy to be corrupt.”
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Did you mean to say the National Assembly approves of CORRUPTION? We are not fools, remember You can fool some people sometimes but u cant fool all the people all the times.
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