ASSETS DECLARATION: CCB THREATENS TO PROSECUTE 25 EX-MINISTERS

By NBF NEWS

The Code of Conduct Bureau on Tuesday threatened to prosecute 25 ex-ministers for failing to declare their assets as required by the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

A statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations Unit of the bureau, Mrs. Idowu Jokpeyibo, only 17 former ministers out of 42 in the dissolved cabinet had so far declared their assets.

The bureau said that it would not hesitate to arraign ex-ministers before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, if by the end of April they failed to declare their assets, in accordance with the law.

The bureau also said that such former ministers would also have their names published in the newspapers.

The statement reads, 'In compliance with the Code of Conduct Bureau law as enshrined in part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, 17 ex-ministers out of the 42 ex-ministers in the recently dissolved cabinet have declared their assets, while 25 ex-ministers are yet to do so as at today, April 13, 2010.

'The Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the former cabinet on March 17, 2010 and by April 17, 2010 all ex-ministers were expected to have declared their assets.

'The ex-Ministers who are yet to comply are once again reminded that they are expected to declare their assets latest 30 days after the end of their tenure.'