The Code of Conduct Bureau says it may be forced to arrest and possibly prosecute at least 19 ministers and heads of agencies in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for non-compliance with procedures of declaring their assets.
The 19 federal government appointees, according to a statement issued by the CCB Chairman, Sam Saba, have so far not honoured invitations to appear before the Bureau to clear their asset declaration claims.
The bureau however praised some top officials of the Nigerian government like the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for promptly complying with the asset declaration protocol within the stipulated time.
The CCB boss said the bureau has invited some serving ministers and heads of agencies among others over “issues” pertaining to their asset declaration requirements, but most of them have failed to respond.
The asset declaration defaulters, according to CCB include Kemi Adeosun (Finance Minister), Kayode Fayemi (Mine and Solid Minerals), Adebayo Shittu (Minister of Communication), Babatunde Fashola (Minister of Power, Works and Housing), Ibe Kachikwu (Minister of State Petroleum), Ogbonnaya Onu (Minister of Science and Technology).
Other defaulters are Mike Okiro (Chairman, Police Service Commission), Godwin Emefiele (CBN Governor), Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Minister of State Solid Minerals) and Rotimi Amaechi (Minister of Transport).
Still on the list of defaulters are Aisha Alhassan (Minister Women Affairs and Social Development); Solomon Dalung (Minister of Youths & Sports Development); Udo Udoma (Minister Budget and National Planning); Dan Ali Mansur (Minister of Defence); Ibrahim Usman Jibril (Minister of State, Environment); Suleiman Adamu (Minister of Water Resources and Rural Development), Lai Muhammed (Minister of Information) and Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Minister of State Power).
The CCB said it has also invited Claudius Daramola (Minister of State Niger Delta Affairs); Hadiza Usman (MD. Nigeria Ports Authority); Ahmed Kuru (MD/CEO AMCON); Isaac Adewole (Minister of Health); Okechukwu Enelamah (Minister of Trade Investment and Industry) and Geoffrey Onyema (Minister of Foreign Affairs).
Minister of State for Petroleum
Photo: thisdaylive.com
“Pursuant to paragraph 11 of Part 1 of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), every public officer is required to submit to the CCB a written declaration of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his/her spouse (if not a public officer) and his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years,” the bureau said.
“Any statement in such declaration that is found to be false by any authority or person authorized in that behalf to verify it shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code.
“To this end, the Bureau has commenced its 2016 4th Quarter cycle of conference and Field verifications of assets of top public officers.
“Accordingly, letters of invitation have been dispatched to Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Service Chiefs and other top Public Officers.
“This exercise is ongoing and is being carried out concurrently at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.
“At a satisfactory completion of the exercise, Public Officers are issued with certificate of Assets Conference Verification/Field Verification as the case maybe.”
Other top public office holders that were also praised for not delaying the declaration of their assets include the acting MD/CEO Niger Delta Development Commission, Semenitari Mary –Gab Tamunoibim; Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corp, Boboye Oyeyemi ); Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed and the Commissioner, Federal Civil Service Commission, Hope Odhuluma Ikrirko.
The CCB also hailed persons like the former SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister Budget & National Planning, Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna, Minister Trade, Investment & Industry, Aisha Abubakar; INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood; and Former Executive Secretary NUC, Julius A. Okojie; as well as the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
“CCB however, commends those public officers, who honoured its invitations promptly and submitted themselves for the exercise!”
More ministers, including the Attorney General of the Federation, had been sent letter of invitation by CCB, and it has not been confirmed if they would honour the invite when it comes to their turn to appear before the Bureau.