President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Professor Itse Sagay, a prominent professor of law and civil rights activist to head the newly constituted Presidential Advisory Committee against corruption.
Activities of the committee and funding of its recommendations are to be sponsored from a $5million from an Anti-Corruption and Criminal Justice Reform Fund established by three international development partners namely the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Foundation.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, the committee’s brief is to advise the present administration on the prosecution of the war against corruption and the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
Other members of the committee which is also expected to develop comprehensive interventions for achieving recommended reforms are Prof. Femi Odekunle, Professor of Criminology, Ahmadu Bello University, member; Dr. (Mrs) Benedicta Daudu, Associate Professor of International Law, University of Jos, member; Prof. E. Alemika Professor of Sociology, University of Jos, member; Professor Sadiq Radda, rofessor of Criminology, Bayero University, Kano, member.
While the committee has Professor Bolaji Owasanoye , Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Member/Executive Secretary, Hadiza Bala Usman, a Civil Society Activist is also on board as a member.
The statement read further, “In support of the Federal Government’s efforts, an Anti-Corruption and Criminal Justice Reform Fund has been established by three international development partners namely the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Foundation.
The $5 million fund is to assist implementation of key components of the Action Plan and the work of the Presidential Advisory Committee.
The fund will be managed by Trust Africa, an International Development Civil Society Organisation with programme presence in more than 25 African countries.