Did you know that ‘A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities? Part 1, of the fifth schedule within the Nigerian Constitution provides for the code of conduct of public officers. However, many public officers in Nigeria have deliberately disregarded these provisions, the common Nigerian doesn’t know when the law has been defied by these dodgy public officers. Nigerians need more enlightenment during this matter.
This post aims to shine a light on the high standards by which our public officers must live and allow you as the citizens are the judge in defining whether our leaders/public officers are indeed leading by example.
The Code of conduct for public officers offers that a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his individual interest conflicts with his duties and tasks, neither shall The President, Vice-President, Governor, Deputy- Governor, Ministers of the Federal Govt., Commissioners of the States, members of the National Assembly and House of Assembly of States sustain or activate any secure financial savings in institutions in any country outside Nigeria.
Besides, it provides that a public officer shall not elicit or accept property or benefits of any kind for himself or for the opposite person on account of anything done or mislaid to be done by him in the liberation of his duties. It further offers that any public officer who accepts gifts from profitable firms, business enterprises or persons, who have contracts with the government., shall be assumed to possess been received in contravention of this rule excepting that the opposing is proved.
The law positions that no one shall offer a public officer any possessions, gift, or good thing about any kind as an incentive or bribe for the compromise of any favor or the discharge in his favour of the overall public officer’s duties. A public officer must not exploit his office neither shall he belong to any society which is discordant with the functions or dignity of his office.
A public officer shall at the highest of 4 years and at the tip of his term in office palate the code of conduct bureau a written declaration of all his possessions, resources, and liabilities of those of his single children under the age of 18 years.
These requirements of the law are dribbled on times without number by many public officers in Nigeria. Nevertheless, now that we’ve more information at our fingers tips we may still hold these public officers to ransom and petition that they uphold the law as they swore to do to.
It’s a letdown that in Nigeria, the codes of conduct are ignored daily without anybody complaining. it’s almost become a norm for Government officers and parastatals to loose-guard and collect bribes!
