Local Government Officers in Lagos State have been advised to comply with the constitutional provisions of Code of Conduct for Public Officers on Assets declaration.
The Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Babatunde Rotinwa, who spoke during a gathering of Council Managers and Human Resources Officers in the 57 Local Government Areas/Local Council Development Areas held in conjunction with the Code of Conduct Bureau, said that it is mandatory for all Public Officers to declare their assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
He urged the Council Managers and Human Resources Officers to disseminate the information to other Local Government Staff and ensure that Public Officers in the Unified Local Government Service in the State obtain the Assets Declaration Form, complete it and submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau within the stipulated period.
Rotinwa implored the Code of Conduct Bureau to send representatives to the Local Government Areas/ Local Council Development Areas in the State in order to further educate and enlighten the officials on the modalities for completing the forms.
The Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission, Mrs. Omobolanle Ogunmola, while commending the Bureau for enlightening the Public Servants at the grassroots on assets declaration, promised that the Commission would do its best to ensure that Local Government Officers obtain the Assets Declaration Form, fill and submit to the Bureau. She said that the Bureau should feel free to seek the assistance of the Commission whenever it encounters any challenge with the Local Government Officials.
In his remarks, the State Director of Code of Conduct Bureau, Olasoji Ola, while making reference to relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, stated that “every Public Officer shall within three months after the coming into force of this Code of Conduct or immediately after taking office and thereafter a) at the end of every four years and b) at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of eighteen years”.
He stated that any Public Officer who acts contrary to the provision of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, if found guilty, may be penalised by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in accordance with paragraph (18) Sub-paragraph (2) of the Fifth Schedule (Part 1) of the Constitution.
According to him, penalties for non-compliance include vacation of office or seat, disqualification from the holding of any public office for a period not exceeding 10 years as well as seizure and forfeiture of any property acquired in abuse or corruption of office.
