Civil servants and Public Officers in the state of Osun have been directed to take assets declaration form under Code of Conduct Bureau seriously to avoid being sanctioned by the extant law of the country.
The Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Elder Tunde Adedeji stated this today at the flag-off of the Public Enlightenment Campaign on Assets Declaration and Code of Conduct for Public Officers held at the Local Government Service Commission’s Multi-purpose Hall, Osogbo.
Elder Adedeji noted that ‘it is disheartening to observe that both civil servants and public officers either do not know or feign ignorance of their code of conduct.
He described the code of conduct as a set of principles, ethics and rules that guide the activities of an employee in an establishment
which must be strictly adhere to.
The Commission’s boss made it known that the sensitization campaign was organised to enlighten public officers on the mandate and power of the code of conduct bureau as well as to know their mode of operations.
He emphasized that awareness campaign has been planned and arranged to cover all the 68 Local Government Areas, including Local Council Development Areas, Area Councils and Administrative Offices in the state.
He however encouraged Council Managers and Heads of Administrative to guide and show good example to other officers, particularly on the Code of Conduct and filling of Assets Declaration Forms.
In his presentation on ‘Exposition on Assets Declaration Exercise’ the Director, Code of Conduct Bureau, Prince Olufadeji Adeniyi emphasized that the Bureau is one of the anti-corruption agencies put in place by the Federal Government to fight against corruption.
He added that, it is an offence for any Public Officer not to declare all his assets.
Prince Adeniyi said the Code of Conduct Bureau has the mandate to establish and maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct government business and ensure that the action and behaviour public officers conform with the highest standards of public morality and accountability.
While enumerating details of the code governing the conduct of public officers and for which a violation could amount to corruption, Mr. Tayo Oladeji maintained that foreign accounts is prohibited for both civil servants and public officers saying it is also an offence for them to accept any gifts and benefits in kind in the discharge of their duties.
Mr. Oladeji stressed that anyone that contravenes the code of conduct provision will be charged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
