Works Ministry Sensitizes Directors on Asset Declaration, Infringement

The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has organized a sensitization workshop for its directors on strict compliance with Asset Declaration Processes, Code of Conduct and the consequences attached to infringements.

Declaring the workshop open, the Permanent Secretary of the Works and Housing Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, said that the purpose of the workshop was to enlighten the participants on the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal and its application as they relate to Asset Declaration.

Alkali, represented by the Director Highways Planning and Development in the Ministry, Engineer Uzor Chukwuwinke Ogbona, pointed out that it had become imperative to organize the workshop because of the increasing cases of allegation of infringement of the codes by public officers thereby resulting to frequent invitations for questioning by the Bureau.

"This has become necessary in view of the report of increasing cases of alleged breach of the provisions of the Act by our officers occasioning their invitations for questioning by the Bureau," he said.

Accordingly, he added that all the other levels of the officers in the ministry would go through a similar workshop because of the sensitivity and importance of Asset Declaration to public officers.

"Given the importance and seriousness attached to the issue, the Ministry is determined to ensure that this enlightenment programme is cascaded to all levels of officers from the Directorate cadre downwards," he added.

Engr. Uzo implored participants to use the opportunity of the workshop to ask pertinent questions on issues that needed clarity, pointing out that the facilitators were experts in the field recommended by the Code of Conduct Bureau that could respond to these questions.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Muhammed Isah who was represented by a member of the Bureau, Professor Samuel Ogundare, informed the participants that in a bid for government to ensure that public officers maintained a high level of integrity while discharging their duties, a set of codes have been established to guide them.

He explained that the codes specify the standard of integrity expected of public officers as well as how to meet them, adding that safety of public officers has been captured in the codes in discharging their duties.

The Chairman urged the participants   to oblige the Bureau with suggestions from their experiences on how to minimize infringement of the codes.

" It is also our wish that since most of you will be exiting from the service soon, you will share your experiences with us on how we can minimize the judgement in these codes,"Professor Ogundare said.

In her presentation, Mrs. Ofor Ijeanuli, a Deputy Director from the Code of Conduct Bureau, in her paper presentation titled: Code of Conduct Act & Code of Ethics in Government Business, mentioned that there are fourteen codes synonymous to rules guiding the public officers of which Asset Declaration is one of them.

She noted that civil servants were mandated to declare their assets every four years within the period of years they are still in service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pointing out that failure to do that was an infringement.

Explaining further, Ofor stated that public officers are expected to submit a written declaration of all their properties, assets and liabilities and those of their unmarried children under the age of eighteen years including their spouses that are not working.

Accordingly, she disclosed that, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers should serve as a mechanism for continuous self-assessment by public officers to meet up with public expectations, scrutiny and evaluation, noting that any property acquired in abuse of or corruption in office will be forfeited to the state.  

It was a very fruitful discussion in which a large number of the Director's participated in with genuine questions asked and explicit answers given by the officials from the Code of Conduct Bureau in the Ministry's Headquarter conference room in Mabuchi, Abuja.

WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING, BASHIR NURA ALKALI, FCA, FCTI  AT THE COMMISSIONING OF LAFIA-OBI-AWE-TUNGA ROAD IN NASARAWA STATE ON THURSDAY, 23rd JUNE, 2022.

PROTOCOLS

       It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this significant event in the affairs of our National life. I welcome all the eminent and distinguished invited guests to the occasion of the commissioning of the second phase of the completed roads across the country. 

2.   On behalf of the Honourable Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, Directors and Head of Units, Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, I welcome all distinguished invited Guests, the Royal Fathers and the entire people of Nasarawa State to this event.

3.    As part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s developmental agenda of addressing road infrastructural development across the length and breadth of Nigeria, the Federal Government as a policy direction focused on the completion of several on-going projects to stimulate economic development, job creation and promoting local content. The focus is to link the major arterial roads to Refineries, Ports, tertiary institutions and high volume commercial centres with a view to reducing travel times, vehicle maintenance costs, safety and security of commuters etc.

4.    The Ministry has successfully completed several roads and maintained several bridges to ensure that road users have a rewarding road travel experience. Several other roads and bridges are at various stages of completion such as the 2nd Niger Bridge and its approach road, Dualization of Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, Loko-Oweto Bridge linking Nasarawa to Benue States, Dualization of Enugu-Portharcourt Expressway, Bodo-Bonny Brigde, Lagos-Ibadan Dualization project,  to mention just a few. 

5.     We have now entered the season of completion and handover of several roads and bridges projects across the country. Recently, 5-roads were commissioned by Mr. President who was represented by the Cabinet Ministers from the states where the projects were sited such as:

Commissioning of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kotangora-Makere Road, Phases I&II in Kebbi State;

Vandeikya-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road Phases I&II in Benue State;

Nenwe-Oduma Road Sections I&II in Enugu and Ebonyi States;

Kano-Maiduguri Section III (Azare-Potiskum) in Bauchi/Yobe States; and

Kano-Maiduguri Road Section II Shuwarin-Azare, with spur from Dutse to Kwanar Huguma in Jigawa/Bauchi States.

6.   In this phase of the commissioning, Mr. President approved the commissioning of the following roads:

Rehabilitation of Efon Alaaye-Erinmo-Iwaraja Road In Ekiti/Osun States;

Isoko Ring Road in Delta State; 

Rehabilitation of Hadeija-Nguru Road, Phase II CH 40+000-CH 73+150 Kirikasama-Nguru in Jigawa State;

Completion of Gombe-Numan-Yola Road Phase II (Gombe-Kaltungo) in Gombe State; 

Construction of Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road Section II, Phase I, (Gashua-Bayamari), Yobe State;

Rehabilitation of Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road Section I (Nguru-Gashua) Phase II in Yobe State;

Rehabilitation of Lafia-Obi-Awe-Tunga Road in Nasarawa State.

7.    As we complete the commissioning of this road here in Nasarawa State, the train will move to Yobe State.

8.    Our joy is that Nigerians are benefitting from the fruits of democracy and the promises made by the present Administration. These projects have created direct and indirect jobs as well as provided socio-economic benefits that the magnitude of such projects carries with it.

9.    At this juncture, I welcome you all once again to the commissioning ceremony of this laudable road project in Nasarawa State.  

Thank you and God bless you.