By Chimezie Godfrey
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has flagged off the training of personnel of the Nigerian Army on compliance with assets declaration and Code of Conduct.
The flag -off took place on Tuesday in Abuja, according to a report by our correspondent.
Buratai who said the two days workshop is important for the personnel of the Nigerian Army, expressed optimism that it will enable them fulfill their obligations as public officers.
He said,”I am highly delighted to be here this morning to deliver and of course declare the two days workshop on compliance with asset declaration and code of conduct to personnel of the Nigerian Army.
“The workshop is very important for the personnel of the Nigerian Army that will afford us the opportunity to fulfill our obligations as public officers in line with the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
“The Nigerian Army under my leadership is desirous of maintaining the highest standard of accountability in the conduct of our activities consistent of the requirements and behavior of public officers which conforms to the highest standard of probity, public morality, transparency and accountability.
“Accordingly, I have directed that the same workshop should be conducted in the six Army division nationwide.
“My directive is premised on the believe that every personnel of the Nigerian Army entrusted with leadership responsibility must understand the primacy of asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers and compliant with all the provisions and requirements.
“This is so because accountability is a prerequisite for the fight against corruption which is one of the major focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”
Buratai noted that one of the focus of the workshop is to educate and sensitise officers and men of the Nigerian Army on asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers as well as the consequences of none compliance.
He stressed that as members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, strict compliance with the provisions of the code of conduct is a constitutional responsibility that must be respected.
“I am optimistic that at the end of the two days workshop all participants would have acquired sufficient knowledge and better informed about asset declaration and other requirements of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
“Since my assumption of office as the Chief of Army Staff, I have always canvased and pursued a system that emphasis the judicious declaration of scarce resources to optimize value for money.
“Undeniably, the Nigerian Army has fully complied with the provisions of the bureau for public procurement, thus enhancing transparency and prudence in financial management,” he said.
Buratsi enjoined all the participants to take advantage of the workshop to thoroughly understand the departments for assets declaration and code of conduct for public officers.
He charged the participants to share the knowledge acquired at the workshop with their colleagues and troops under command in their respective formations.
He thanked President Bihari for his continuous support for the Nigerian Army.
The Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Maj Gen Habila Vintenaba in his remark said the workshop is a collaborative effort between the Nigerian Army and the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Vintenaba assured the Code of Conduct Bureau of the continuous partnership of the Military.
He said,”The Code of conduct Bureau in carrying its mandatory function deemed it necessary to acquaint men and officers of the Nigerian Army with the nitty gritty of asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers.
“This workshop being the first of its kind in the Nigerian Army history, is a clear demonstration and attestation of the Chief Army Staff’s unwavering commitment in establishing the culture of responsiveness, probity, prudence and accountable responsibility in the Nigerian Army.”
He said the workshop is timely as it offers officers and soldiers the opportunity to understand fully the parallels of code of conduct as well as consequences of none compliance.
According to him, the workshop is effected to further provide a practical guide on the completion of assets declaration form.
He assured that in the next two days, the Bureau will ensure that all participants are abreast of the extant regulations relating to code of conduct for public officers.
Earlier, the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, Prof. Isah Mohammed, who was represented by Mr Samuel Ogundare, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for accepting the program.
Mohammed noted that all over the world now governments have come to realize the importance of public moral conducts, perhaps more than ever before.
“Today governments have realised the contributions of public officers morality, that it contributes to the quality of democratic governance, economic and social progression, restoration of confidence in the government all over the world, provides recognizable standard of conduct, a closing ground of national and international markets.
“Now Nigeria can take its place in the committee of nation’s as far it keys in to what the United Nations in December 10th 1996 have come up in terms of resolutions on how nation should deal with corruption,” he said.
He said the challenge facing the country is the problem of ethical conduct and indiscipline and that the Code of Conduct Bureau will come up with a campaign of ethical purity and will consider the criticality of the military service.
Mohammedurged the military to allow the CCB to have a place in the building of its ethical structure.
He further suggested that the military should establish a management body that will look into infractions committed by officers, as well as give incentives for officers that
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