A self-governing ACC

The move to transform the Anti-Corruption Commission into a self-governing body is welcome. In the past many months, especially since the imposition of a state of emergency in the country and a consequent reconstitution of the ACC, the anti-corruption watchdog has made some impressive strides in handling cases of wrongdoing at various levels of politics and administration. However, the increasingly complex responsibilities it will now be expected to carry out call for special skills and competence in order for it to deliver the goods. We hope that in the days ahead the ACC will live up to the expectations reposed in it by the nation.
Indeed, the plan to give the ACC a self-governing character is confirmation of how much more the organisation can be made to produce in terms of performance. As we understand, the ACC's self-governing powers will cover quite a few significant areas. As a first step, the organisation will have the power to appoint individuals to important positions within it on a contractual basis. Its authority to appoint and remove its officials will happily not be interfered with by the executive arm of the government. Such a move, in clear terms, can be regarded as being aimed at empowering the ACC with a degree of autonomy that will smoothen its functions and its ability to carry them out. There can be no denying that a body as vital as the ACC is in need of operational freedom considering the vast remit given to it. Among the changes envisaged in the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 is a grant of financial autonomy to the body. We cannot but note how important such powers will be, considering that they will allow the ACC a good deal more of flexibility than it has enjoyed till now.
There are instances of countries where organisations empowered to handle matters of corruption operate independently of the government. The time has now arrived when the Anti-Corruption Commission should in the larger public interest be ensuring such a role for itself. It remains our expectation that the international standards upon which anti-corruption watchdogs conduct themselves will be those upon which the ACC will base its work as well. Making the Anti-Corruption Commission an institution with the power to delve into every and any area of wrongdoing will surely have a qualitative impact on the process of governance itself. In the long run, an unfettered ACC will be a guarantee of disciplined, responsible behaviour in politics and other areas of social activity.