The Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has inaugurated the state’s anti-corruption commission with a strong warning and mandate for zero tolerance for corrupt practices.
The board is made up of seven members led by the Chairman, Justice Eni Esan, a retired judge and former President of Oyo State Customary Court of Appeal while the secretary of the board is Mr Ibrahim Oyemonla Tijani, the Director, Ministry of Justice.
The governor while inaugurating the board of the commission in Ibadan, the state capital said that the commission will have no political bias.
The governor warned against all forms of corrupt practices, noting that the establishment of the agency was to sanitise the public/civil service and ensure that everyone carries out their responsibilities without corruption.
It will be recalled that the bill for the establishment of the agency was forwarded to the House of Assembly shortly after Makinde assumed office in 2019.
The governor said: “The journey to this inauguration formally started about a year ago with the signing of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Law 2019. The law is primarily directed at sanitising the public/civil service and ensuring that both public and civil servants at both the state and local government levels carry out their responsibilities without institutionalised corruption.
“With the inauguration of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency, OYACA, we are sending out a clear message here in Oyo State. We have zero-tolerance for corruption. So, any person, elected, employed or engaged in any capacity in the public or civil service in Oyo State, who accepts or promises to accept money, fees, donations, loans, gifts, or any other reward for rendering a service to members of the public will be investigated and be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“It will no longer be business as usual. Public/civil servants are called to serve, not to steal. And I trust that the members of OYACA will do all within their powers to ensure that all matters brought to their attention are judiciously handled. There are to be no sacred cows. Anyone who runs afoul of this law will be prosecuted swiftly,” he said.
Governor Makinde implored residents of the state to take advantage of the anti-corruption agency to duly report any civil or public officer demanding a bribe or any form of gratification to render services.
He described members of the agency as people with high integrity and pedigree and urged them to continue to maintain their standard of integrity, saying: “I ask that members of this agency continue to maintain the track records for which you were picked individually.
(Channels)
