Emeka Mamah
14 May 2008
Lagos — CHAIRMAN of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, says some public officials now engage in anticipatory declaration of assets to escape arrest for corruption when they leave office.
Ayoola who said over $500 billion had been stolen from Nigeria's coffers since independence by dishonest officials called on the National Assembly to pass the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill to encourage "whistle blowers" to monitor public officials in the country.
He spoke on day two of the on-going summit on "Anti corruption, Rule of Law and the Administration of Justice in Nigeria" yesterday, through a member of the ICPC, Senator Adejo Ogiri.
The retired judge spoke on "Investigating and prosecuting persons with questionable lifestyle as the next level in the anti-corruption crusade: Prospects and challenges."
His words: "Access to information and poor data base seem to make basic information difficult to verify and ascertain. Officials declaring assets, therefore, exploit this by engaging in anticipatory declaration.
"In other words, the assets declaration form is filled up with assets the public official hopes to acquire while in office with a corruption margin drawn in the form.
"If the public official has two cars on assumption of office, he could declare six, and in due course he buys the additional four cars, or he could record a vacant plot of land as a fully built up structure.
"When the declaration is finally checked after months or years, the assets would have been put in place," he said.
He said the only way to stop the ugly trend was for the National Assembly to amend the law on assets declaration to remove it from Official Secrets Act.
"For an effective fight against corruption, assets should be declared publicity and backed with the law. In this case, whistle blowers would be encouraged to monitor public officials and this could have the effect of restraints," he added.
The Chairman said the banking sector must join the fight against corruption for the war to succeed. According to him, some "banks open secret and ghost accounts and move funds at the slightest suspicion of investigation and have been known to be involved in money laundering activities for some officials. These banks also need close monitoring and investigation to avoid these abuses."
He urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the proposed amendment of the ICPC Act submitted to it since 2003 to reposition the Commission towards the fight against corruption.
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