The Code of Conduct Bureau has cautioned that public officials failing to disclose or under-declare their assets may encounter severe consequences, including a decade-long ban from public service or being compelled to vacate their positions.
The acting Chairman of the Bureau, Mr. Murtala Aliyu-Kankia, conveyed this message while overseeing the ongoing verification process of political officeholders and top government officials’ assets on Monday in Katsina.
The verification exercise aims to encompass senior public officers and civil servants, such as permanent secretaries, director-generals, directors, and other key officials within government entities.
Aliyu-Kankia asserted that government officials found guilty of assets’ non-disclosure or under-declaring would face the penalty of at least ten years of disqualification from public office.
“You know, some people tend to under-declaration, anticipatory declaration and even non-declaration of their assets. To detect these three aspects, we go to the field to find out where someone under-declared, or in anticipation of getting something declared he has a property. All these are offences. The person found wanting would be referred to the CCB tribunal for prosecution accordingly. The punishment is either for him to forfeit the property, be banned from holding public office for 10 years or be asked to vacate the office he is occupying. We are on course, we are doing it for the good of the country and the people,” he explained.
Moreover, Aliyu-Kankia emphasized the bureau’s collaboration with sister agencies like EFCC and ICPC to sustain the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.
He highlighted that this initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s anti-corruption efforts.
Following the verification exercise, the bureau’s personnel will conduct on-site checks to validate the assets declared by the officers.
Aliyu-Kankia urged stakeholders to support the exercise to enhance the fight against corruption for the sustainable social and economic development of the country.
