The Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo has approved a bill establishing a state-owned anti-corruption agency.
This was announced on Thursday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah, in a press statement.
The statement revealed that Ododo signed the anti-graft agency bill alongside six other bills, including one to establish the Kogi State Electricity Market and the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
According to the law, the commission will “regulate electricity generation, transmission, system operation, distribution, supply and promote access to electricity in the state through increased private sector investments or public-private partnerships in grid, multi-grid, and other off-grid electricity options using renewable and non-renewable fuel sources.”
Additionally, Ododo signed “A law to repeal and re-enact the Kogi State Local Government Service Commission Law 2014 and for other matters connected therewith 2024,”
Another was “A law to repeal and re-enact the Kogi State Scholarship Board Edict, 1998 and other matters connected therewith, 2024.”
The statement quoted the governor as emphasizing the significance of these laws, describing them as “people’s laws” that align with his commitment to transparency, accountability, and governance rooted in the fear of God.
Ododo stated, “These laws combined together can be referred to as the people’s Acts. All the laws have a direct bearing on the lives of our people and this is the reason we are here.
“Let it be known that under my administration, nobody is above the law.
“This is in line with my promise to lead with the fear of God and to ensure that our resources work for the people of the state.”
He urged the people of Kogi State, especially those in authority, to familiarize themselves with the new laws and embrace their provisions.
It was reported that the state Assembly, during a plenary session in May, highlighted that the anti-graft agency would aid the government in combating corruption within the state.
The Majority Leader of the House, Suleiman Abdulrazak, clarified that the Kogi State anti-graft agency is intended to complement, not rival, federal anti-graft agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
This development comes amid ongoing investigations by the EFCC into alleged N82.2 billion fraud involving Yahaya Bello, the immediate-past governor of the state.
