Integrity commission takes oath before His Majesty

AMMAN — The president and the board members of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JIACC) took oath of office before His Majesty King Abdullah at Al Husseiniya Palace on Sunday.

A Royal Decree was issued on Wednesday appointing JIACC’s president and board members for a four-year term.

Mohammad Allaf was appointed the president of the commission, with Abdul Hadi Alawin, Iyad Qudah, Burhan Akroush and Maisoun Qaisi as board members.

Meanwhile, the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Law for 2015, under which the agency was established, went into effect as of Thursday, which means that the anti-corruption commission and the ombudsman bureau laws became null as the new agency replaced both. 

The commission is administratively and financially independent, managed and supervised by a president and four board members known for their integrity, neutrality and experience, according to the law. 

Following the oath-taking ceremony, His Majesty met with Allaf and his colleagues, in the presence of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, urging them to work in line with set plans and timeframes to enhance good governance, justice, integrity, accountability and good performance to combat graft, with focus on efforts to eliminate wasta (using connections to make undeserved gains), nepotism, favouritism, law infringement and trespassing on other people’s rights.  

His Majesty urged the agency to enforce the anti-graft law, in coordination with other concerned state parties, in a way that ensures the implementation of the goals of the legislation and strengthens people’s trust in JIACC as a “national institution concerned with entrenching the concept of integrity and combatting corruption”.

The King also underlined the need for the commission to open up to all segments of society, based on a policy that adopts cooperation, partnership and mutual responsibility among all players concerned with promoting the National Integrity System, which the King described as a “bright spot in the process of comprehensive reform”. 

King Abdullah also directed JIACC to keep the public abreast of the outcomes of its job on a periodical basis, as that would “contribute to enhancing citizens’ trust in the seriousness of the integrity system… .”

For his part, the premier vowed the government’s full cooperation with JIACC and support for its efforts. 

Allaf made a presentation outlining the future vision and plans of the commission, which, he said, will adopt coordination and consultation with concerned institutions as a key principle in the work of his agency.