The
Code of Conduct Bureau has threatened to arrest President Muhammadu
Buhari's ministers for failing to comply with asset declaration rules.
The three ministers might be arrested for refusing to appear before the CCB
The Code of Conduct Bureau has revealed that 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 refusing to
comply with asset declaration rules and procedures.
In a statement issued by the CCB Chairman, Sam Saba, 19 federal
government appointees, have so far not honoured invitations to appear
before the Bureau to clear their asset declaration claims.
Saba revealed that even after inviting, some serving ministers and
heads of agencies among others over “issues” pertaining to their asset
declaration requirements, most of them have refused 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), Premium
Times reported.
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).
“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.
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