AGF, Others Seek Public Officers’ Support For Anti-Graft Drive

…DGs CCB, CCT, others hail reform of CCB/T Act

Public servants in the country have been urged to support the
Federal Government’s several initiatives to curb unethical conduct,
abuse of office and other forms of corruption.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation
(AGF), Abubakar Malami, Acting Chairman, Nigerian Law Reform
Commission (NLRC), Professor Jummai Audi and Director Generals Code
of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and
National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS),
Mohammed Isa, Danladi Umar and Professor Abubakar Suleiman made the
call in Abuja on Tuesday.

They spoke at the national workshop on the reform of the Code of
Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB/T) Act and related provisions of
the Constitution, organised by the NLRC.

Malami, represented by the Special Assistant to the President on
Financial Crimes, Abiodun Aikomo noted that when completed the
CCB/T Act will aid the capacities of the CCB and CCT to effectively
carry out their tasks of enforcing code of conduct among public
officer sand punishing infraction.

The AGF noted that the workshop is “aimed at harnessing relevant
ideas through brainstorming together with stakeholders and
participants in order to improve the legal framework that will
empower important institutions such as the CCB and CCT to function
in a manner is appropriate to address the current national endemic
issue of corruption and abuse of public office by public
officers.

“It is expected that those entrusted with public offices should
discharge the functions of such offices with utmost regard to the
ethics of transparency, accountability, decency, and good service
to the nation.

“One major achievement of this administration is the successful
prosecution of public officers for failure to comply with the codes
of conduct enshrined in the Constitution and the Code of Conduct
Bureau and Tribunal Act especially as regards non-declaration of
assets and falsification of assets on declaration forms.

“Furthermore, it is the Federal Government’s believe that more
successes will be attained by these institutions if their
establishment Act is strengthened,” Malami said.

Audi identified the various aspects of the CCB/T Act identified
for review, which included the need to move the CCT to be part of
the Judiciary to guarantee its independence.

She said the review excise was mandated by the AGF in view of
“the astronomical rise in cases of corruption and its pervasive
negative effect on the social and economic development of Nigeria
and being concerned with the urgent need to deal with the
disturbing situation.”

The NLRC acting Chairman noted that after a closer look at the
CCB/T Act and the Constitution, it was “observed that apart from
the problem in the composition of the CCT, there are several other
provisions of the Act that require reform in order to reposition
the Bureau and the Tribunal for greater efficiency.”

Isa noted that corruption is more prevalent in the public
service than the public sector.

He argued that public servants all agree to commit themselves to
the code of conduct for public officers and shun all forms of
corruption, the country will record a huge success in the fight
against corruption.

Suleiman, represented by Professor Edoba Omoregie hailed the
NLRC’s decision to reform the CCB/T Act and noted that if
completed, the law will aid the CCB and CCT in the operations.

Umar spoke in similar vein and assured that the CCT will not
relent in its commitment to the discharge of its
responsibilities.

He said the review of the law has been long overdue and noted
that past attempt at reform in CCB/CCT Act ,which came into
operation in 1989, have been unsuccessful.