The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, says the commission is the appropriate agency to handle the proposed assets declaration Act by bank employees.
The Chief of Staff to the chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Hadiza Zubairu, stated this while presenting their position at a public hearing on a bill for an Act to amend the bank employees’ declaration of assets Act to reflect prevailing situation in the country.
Mrs. Zubairu, stated that the commission is in support of the proposed assets declaration by the spouses of bank employees.
“This is because when dealing with issues of money laundering and other financial crimes everybody is involved.
“I urge that the title of the bill be changed from bank employees to financial institutions employees’ assets declaration bill” the EFCC representative argued.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dr Godwin Emefile, represented by a director in the apex bank, Mr Abubakar Shebe, applauded the bill for designating the CBN along with other regulators in the financial services sector as the appropriate authority responsible for the implementation of the act.
“This would enable the CBN to utilize its existing internal resources to effectively ensure the observance of the provision of the act by employees of banks and other financial institutions within the purview of the bank” he said.
Mr Shebe also called for the exclusion of the management and staff of the CBN in the Act.
The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, represented by its Director of Research, Dr Onoho Ebhohimen, however opposed the bill, saying bank employees are not public but private employees.
The Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar demanded an amendment to the section of the act which states that the act can also be applied to personnel of the Nigeria Customs.
The Speaker, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by the House Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, explained that the Bill seeks to strengthen legislations that would ensure that operators in the banking system act with utmost integrity.
Emmanuel Ukoh
