The House of Representatives says it plans to enact a law that would compel the country to engage qualified professionals to conduct complex fraud investigations.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, said this during a public hearing of the joint House Committee on Anti-Corruption and Commerce on Thursday in Abuja
The public hearing was on a bill for an Act to establish the chartered institute of forensic and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN).
Gbajabiamila said the different manifestations of corruption in the country had militated against national development. He added that until the country mustered the courage to slay the monster, it might not achieve the ambitions of being a great country.
He said the House of Representatives had an obligation to do what must strengthen state institutions responsible for leading the charge against the menace.
According to him, part of that effort requires us to ensure that these anti-corruption agencies have access to a pool of qualified and credentialed talent to conduct complex fraud investigations.
This according to him was to carry out forensic audits and gather the evidence that allowed for perpetrators of criminal and corrupt acts to be properly held accountable.
The speaker said that the House would do all it could to support the fight against corruption, adding that the fight against corruption remained one of the critical areas of its attention.
In his remark, the Chairman House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Rep. Shehu Garba, said if passed the bill would provide regulations and control of members and promote the practice of forensics examination of fraud in Nigeria.
He solicited for positive inputs to enable the Committee achieve the set objectives, adding that the committee was determined to ensure that the laws were derived from participation of others.
Rep Femi Fakeye, Chairman, House Committee on Commerce in his contribution said that corruption was fritting away the common wealth of the country, adding that this was being done by a few individuals.
He said that a country that does not export much but relied on imported goods, yet frittered away the few the little it got must be tamed with appropriate law.
