The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday held a public hearing on House Bill 60, which seeks to establish the Benue Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate grievances and punish corrupt practices.
Presiding over the session at the Assembly Complex in Makurdi, Deputy Speaker Chief Lami Danladi Ogenyi, who represented Speaker Rt. Hon. Alfred Emberga, declared the hearing open and delivered the keynote address.
Ogenyi reaffirmed the legislature’s resolve to combat graft and strengthen accountability, commending Governor Hyacinth Alia for presenting the bill on February 26 as a sign of close cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government.
“Corruption weakens governance and denies the common man the benefit of development,” she said, stressing the need for strong institutional measures to curb the menace.
She explained that the proposed commission would provide an independent channel for citizens to report injustice and ensure offenders face prosecution, thereby promoting public trust.
The hearing drew community leaders, civil society groups, youth organisations, and other stakeholders from across the state, who submitted memoranda and offered recommendations on how the commission should operate.
