House of Mis/Representatives Amends CCB,CCT Act.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday made several amendments to the Act setting up the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The Senate had previously stepped down the consideration of the bill due to public outcry that followed the move.

The amendments were contained in the report of a bill for an Act to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 2004 that was considered and adopted on Tuesday by the Committee of the Whole House.

Paragraph (e) was added to Sections 3 of the Act to read: “Upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the Bureau that there is a breach of the provision or this Act, the person concerned shall be given particulars of such non compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the tribunal.”

Accordingly, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) would no longer have powers to immediately refer a matter to the CCT, unlike what currently subsist.

Section 1 (4) was deleted and replaced with “The Chairman and members shall serve for a term of five years subject to renewal for one further term only.”

Section 4 (2) was also amended to substitute the word “President” with “the National Assembly” as the one to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and exercise disciplinary control over them.

However, the House would still require the concurrence of the Senate that had previously stepped similar bill down before it could be forwarded to the President for assent. Source: The Nation.

Opinion: The House of Representatives wants to water down the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau. Rather than make strong laws to fight corruption, the House of Mis/representatives are watering down the existing law. That is Nigeria for you.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.