The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday passed into law, the Integrity and Accountability Commission Bill, 2021 and state Judicial Officers Housing Scheme, 2021.
Henceforth, the Accountability Law will hold public office holders in the state accountable to their offices.
Also, the Judicial Officers Housing Scheme Law tends to uplift the lives of indigenous judicial officers even after their retirement.
The State Governor Nyesom Wike had sent the executive bills to the assembly last month seeking their consideration and passage.
The bills are, “Rivers State Integrity and Accountability Commission Bill, 2021″ and Rivers State Judicial Officers Housing Scheme, 2021.”
Leader of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, while commencing debate on the bill, noted that it is novel and intended to ensure integrity and accountability to public service institutions.
Amaewhule stated that the bill, when passed into law, will not only ensure probity in public office but ensure that financial crime in the state is reduced to the barest minimum.
During the debate, the lawmakers agreed that the bills are worth-the-while as they would guarantee probity and accountability in the state public service and justice and fairness in judicial service for improved criminal justice delivery; hence fast track development in the state respectively.
At the committee of wholes, the Legislatures noted that the integrity and accountability bill when passed into law would bring about additional and improved development in the state because public funds would be applied in the spirit and letter of the appropriation at whatever name, public funds is applied in the state.
And as for the bill for “a law to establish a housing scheme for judicial officers who are indigenes of Rivets state and for connected matters, 2021”, the lawmakers unanimously agreed that it would give judicial officers in the state sound minds that will bring about a sound judgement.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Ikwyinyi Owaji-Obani said “a man devoid of clarity of purpose and instability, if sitted in the chair to deliver judgement, is not in the best interest of the state and litigants and even those that find themselves in the court room would have received inequitable justice system.
“That is why it is necessary and important coming up with such bill for judicial officers to have a good accommodation where they can rest their heads and think straight is very important.”
source: thisday live
