Asset Declaration: Rivers CCB Declines Comment …Say We Are Forbidden To Speak To Media

The head of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), in Rivers state, Mrs. Sotonye Amachree declined comments on the level of compliance of public servants in the state with the asset declaration act.

Mrs. Amachree said her action followed express directives from the Abuja headquarters of the anti-corruption agency of the Federal Government.

However, when the Nation visited the office Thursday afternoon, it was reliably informed that politicians in the state who won various elective positions at the last general elections, including the Governor Nyesom Wike and his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo who were sworn into office for the second time May 29, have already filled received their forms, but could not ascertain as at the time of filing this report on whether or not they have also returned the forms.

During the visit, Mr. Amachree and all the members of staff of the CCB office were very busy attending to forms apparently returned by politicians, who are going into elective office.

Informal interaction with some persons in the office revealed that majority of persons rushing into the office to either pick up the forms or return are winners of the state Legislative Assembly who would be inaugurated into office as members of the 9th assembly on Monday, June 3.

They expressed satisfaction on the rate politicians are rushing to comply with asset declaration policy this time, stressing that “it has not been this responsive.

They suspect that the reason might not be unconnected with the recent experience of the immediate past Chief Judge of the Federation, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen. They said, ” Politicians now know the implications of refusing to comply with the code of conduct policy of filling the asset forms before or while in office.

They also hinted that “even the outgoing politicians who did not fill the form while in office are also coming to fill the form to regularise their files, for the fear of unknown.” They said.