By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday signed a bill to establish the Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission.
He also assented to the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Bill.
The House of Assembly passed the bill for the Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission in December 2020. The law empowers the government to establish the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure accountability from public officials entrusted with public funds.
It will empower the agency to investigate any official accused of misappropriating public fund, freeze accounts and search any property suspected to be used for such purposes (subject to court order).
The gaming and lotteries law is to allow for the regulation of betting and gaming sectors, and especially the online agencies.
Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, said since inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration, 26 bills have been sent for assent out of which eight have become laws. The two signed yesterday brings the number to 10.
Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Finance, Rotimi Olowo, said the laws were steps towards achieving the Lagos dreams.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the Anti-Corruption law was part of measures to ensure the people’s trust is not betrayed.
He said the anti-corruption commission will ensure public officials are accountable, and tried appropriately when found wanting.
He said: “Our government will not take the people’s confidence for granted. We will continue to remain transparent in our activities and be accountable always.
“The gaming and lotteries law will ensure fair play, restore proper regulation and monitoring of the sector. It will also give players better function, and government can monitor them to enhance their investments and make their decisions more enduring. It will also improve the quality of inputs and outputs in the sector.”