As part of efforts to address the spate of corruption in the public sector, a Civil Society Organisation, Fixing The Future, has called on public officials to fully declare their assets.
This was as the group called on the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, including Incoming Ministers, Commissioners and other public servants to declare their assets and that of their wives and unmarried children under the age of 21.
The Executive Director, Stanley Ekpa, Fixing the Future, made the call at a press briefing, on Monday, in Abuja.
He said the request became expedient following its findings which indicated that public officials only declare their personal assets and not of their spouses and unmarried children under the legal age as required by law.
Ekpa averred that about 94 per cent of public officials in Nigeria have not been complying with the provisions of section 15 (1) (c) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act on full disclosure of assets and liabilities.
According to him, we want to draw the attention of public officials - public officials within the constitutional contemplation of section 318, paragraph 19 of Part I, and Part II of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), that the law requires all public officials, their spouses, and their unmarried children under the age of twenty-one (21), to declare their assets and liabilities, in the asset declaration forms as prescribed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The scourging cost of corruption is staggering. Of the approximately US$13 trillion that governments spend on public projects across Africa, more than 45% is lost to contract corruption.
"Data from the African Union shows that Nigeria losses over $7 billion to corruption annually. At the continental level, it is estimated at $140 billion.
"A figure that is equivalent to the GDP of all but five countries in Africa. PwC projects that corruption in Nigeria could cost up to 37 per cent of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) by 2030 if it is not curtailed. As we all know, corruption drains public finances, affects efficiency in governance and lowers standard of living.
"To curtail corruption in public service in Nigeria, public officials must observe and obey the provisions of the extant law on full disclosure of their assets and liabilities before and during their tenure in office.
"Further given that there are newer windows and complex channels for hiding proceeds of corruption, particularly through such means as asset by proxy, blockchain and real estate investments, all stakeholders - including the media and the citizens must support 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", he added.
He disclosed that the group would hold a symposium on asset declaration and declared asset verification, in partnership with all relevant stakeholders.
