Over the years, Nigeria as a country has been grappling with this hydra-headed monster called corruption. This is despite the policies and strategies put in place by various administrations. Recently, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) organised training on on-line assets declaration (OADS) to improve the capacity of stakeholders and participants on better ways to handle such situations, among others. 

Online asset declaration refers to the digital submission of asset and liability information by public officials, facilitated through an online platform, as a means of promoting transparency and combating corruption. 

Online asset declaration systems are designed to ensure that public officials disclose their assets, liabilities, and other interests, making this information accessible for scrutiny and accountability. 

*Code of Conduct Bureau

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Nigeria introduced an online asset declaration system for public servants to ease the process of asset declaration and prevent corruption on March 24, 2020. Since then, it has neither been here nor there with very little to show as achievement.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) with the support of the European Union/IDEA’s Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) programme organised the capacity building workshop in collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Awka, Anambra state.

*Online Assets Declaration System (OADS)

The workshop was convened to build the capacity of the stakeholders on the Online Assets Declaration System (OADS) in the context of the constitutional imperative mandating all public officers to declare their assets, low compliance levels to assets and liabilities declaration by public officers, the innovations introduced in the OADS which simplifies and makes it easier for public officers to declare their assets and the commitment of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to fight corruption to a standstill.  

The workshop sought to improve the skills of participants in the practical online declaration of assets and liabilities, understanding of various assets and liabilities classes, the constitutional and statutory provisions guiding declarations and the code of conduct for public officers.

In his address, the chairman of CCB, Dr Abdullahi, Bello Usman, declared that, “Corruption remains one of the most formidable obstacles to our nation’s development.  It erodes public trust, stifles economic growth and perpetuates inequality.  The CCB, as a corner of Nigeria’s integrity framework, recognises that declaration of assets is not just a statutory obligation but a moral imperative. It is the bedrock of ethical governance.

“We cannot ignore the reality of our time.  Manual systems are susceptible to inefficiency, opacity and abuse.  This is why the transition to digital Assets Declaration Platform is not just an upgrade but a revolution.  By leveraging technology we eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, reduce human interference and create an acceptable trail that deters malfeasance.  This system will empower public officials to declare Assets seamlessly while enabling real-time monitoring by shareholders.”

He stated that anti-corruption reforms are not sole responsibility of government agencies.  “They demand a societal movement.  When citizens actively demand accountability, and public servants lead by example, we create an eco-system where corruption cannot thrive.

“The CCB reaffirms its commitment to this cause.  We shall continue to innovate, collaborate and enforce compliance without fear of favour.  But we need the media, civil society, and every Nigerian to be our allies in this fight,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, lead director of CSJ, Barrister Eze Onyekpere, explained that the workshop is part of a systematic partnership, aimed at first developing learning and everyday use materials for public officers on the new Online Assets Declaration System (OADS) and secondly to build capacity across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the federal and state levels with six focal states of Anambra, Edo, Lagos, Plateau, Adamawa and Kano states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

*Constitutional mandate 

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended mandates every public officer, from the cleaner in the local government to the president of the Federal Republic to declare their assets and liabilities at given periods. It also establishes the Code of Conduct Bureau which oversees and manages the assets and liabilities declaration system. If every public officer complies with the law, there will be not less than 10 million declarations of assets and liabilities. He stressed the need and imperative of the Online Assets Declaration System OADS. “But the OADS can only work effectively when declarants understand their duties and how they can practically declare their assets on the electronic platform. This informs the capacity building which involves public officers being the supply side, civil society organisations and the media from the demand side.”

*Accruable benefits 

According to him, the benefits expected to accrue from the OADS include ease of compliance for declarants, ease of managing the process for the Bureau, quality control, improved verification, improving interagency collaboration, facilitating the realisation of core objectives of the assets declaration system, reducing the cost of running the assets and liabilities declaration system and improving transparency, etc.

*Observations

A communiqué was issued at the end of the training with the following observations; “That Nigeria is a state party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. These conventions provide for declaration of assets and liabilities and other measures to fight corruption.

“Every public officer is mandated to declare his assets and liabilities immediately after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years; and (b) at the end of his term of office. The requirement is a written declaration of all properties, assets, and liabilities and those of unmarried children under the age of eighteen years.

“However, and further to ‘c’ above, for legislators and other elected officials, the Constitution requires a declaration of assets and liabilities before assumption of office.

“The declaration is to be based on the principles of honesty, transparency, truth telling and requires a complete disclosure of all assets and liabilities. Declarants should neither under-declare or over-declare their assets and liabilities.

“The Code of Conduct Bureau is constitutionally mandated to receive assets declaration, examine the declarations, retain custody and ensure compliance with the law, receive complaints about non-compliance and verify declarations.

“The constitutional code of conduct in the Fifth Schedule provides detailed rules of conduct mandatory for public officers across the three tiers of government. This includes rules against abuse of office, bribery, conflict of interest, prohibition of foreign accounts, restrictions on loans, gifts or benefits, etc.

“The constitution stipulates penalties for non-compliance with the code of conduct for public officers.

“Civil society has hardly engaged the assets declaration system. Participants recall the challenges facing the CCB in the execution of its mandate including poor funding, and the fact that only one panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal serves the entire country.” 

Resolutions

In the resolutions public officers were urged to promptly and honestly declare their assets and liabilities in a timely manner in accordance with constitutional stipulates.

“Participants resolved to enlighten and sensitise other public officers within their MDAs and subject to availability of resources, to organise step down training in collaboration with CCB.

“Civil society should intensify engagement of the OADS.  This should include the engagement of the CCB and MDAs; raising awareness, education and advocacy for reforms especially in the area of access to declared assets and liabilities, increased funding of the CCB and increasing the panels of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to adjudicate infractions of the code of conduct for public officers.

“Participants acknowledged the initiative of CSJ and CCB, the support of the European Union/IDEA and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Project and urged CSJ and CCB to facilitate the continued education of public officers in all the states of the Federation on the OADS.” (Blue Print)