An anti corruption group in Abuja has tasked public officials to observe and obey the provisions of the extant law on full disclosure of their assets and liabilities before and during their tenure in office.
This according to them will help to curtail corruption in public service in Nigeria.
Assets declaration by public officials has been widely used to build integrity and combat corruption around the world.
Nigeria’s laws require all public officials, their spouses, and their unmarried children over the age of twenty-one to declare their assets and liabilities, in the asset declaration forms as prescribed by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
But most times it is not always so, as those officials who declare their asset do not include that of their spouses and children.
An anti corruption group is concerned with the trend as its recent Asset Declaration Compliance Survey, reveals that more than 94% of public officials in Nigeria do not comply with the provisions of section 15 (1) (c) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act on full disclosure of assets and liabilities.
As a new government prepares to take over office in weeks to come, the group urge public officials to not only declare their asset but adhere fully to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act on full disclosure of assets and liabilities.
They also call for support for the Code of Conduct Bureau in its statutory mandate to receive declarations, ensure compliance, receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the code, investigate complaints, and where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The code of conduct Tribunal is empowered to try public officials for breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act .
