Secret Reporters No place to hide
The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking, NACAT, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to investigate the Executive Director, Procurement of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr. Onsachi Musa Idris, for allegedly owning and running private companies while in active service against extant rules.
In a statement signed by NACAT’s Executive Director of Investigation, Oghenedoro Tega in Abuja on Sunday, the group accused Mr. Idris of alleged violation of public rules and abuse of office.
NACAT said findings by it shows that Mr. Idris did not declare his companies to the Code of Conduct Bureau as stipulated by the law while holding public office.
According to Tega: “NACAT’s findings revealed that Onsachi Musa Idris, the Executive Director, Procurement, of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and some of his members have interest as directors in the companies, “Hollywood Films, Television and Creative Arts Institute Limited – RC 1280962 – registered on 14th August 2015 and El-Meela Heritage International School Limited – RC – 1282658, registered on 24th August 2015, but he did not declare them in his Assets and Liabilities Declaration Forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau, in compliance with the law.
“Paragraph 1(1) of Part 1 of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended, mandates public office holders whether elected, appointed, recruited, contracted etc., by whatever name called to file their assets and liabilities declaration forms/returns with the Code of Conduct Bureau in respect of themselves, spouse and children under the age of 18 years and above.
The CCB Act also states that: “Every Public Officer is to NOTE that it is the requirement of the Law to declare his/her assets/liabilities on (a) Assumption of office; (b) At the end of his term of Office, (c). At interval of four years for Public Officers on continuous employment of Government whether Federal, State or Local Government: (d) and at such other intervals as the Bureau may determine from time to time.
“Also, Section 172 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) enjoins all persons in the public service to conform to the Code of Conduct.
The Fifth Schedule (Part 1) (Section 5) of the Constitution says that;
“A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities”.
“By not declaring the company, it is our believe that Mr. Idris may have used his influence to interfere with the procurement procedures and processes thereby influencing contracts to the company and denying other companies of fair processes.
“The group further threatened to take legal action if the right authorities failed to probe Mr. Idris for the alleged offence.
“As an NGO with a mandate to fight corruption and various anti-corruption war to our credit, we are concerned that such an official would be allowed to continue in the service without appropriate investigative action and/or punitive actions taken against him.
“That is why we are calling on the relevant agencies to begin probe of the director,” the statement added.
NACAT particularly asked the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to immediately suspend Idris from office pending the investigation of its allegation to forestall hiding of information that will be relevant to the case.
“We do not understand how a director will owns a school as well as another company and instead of resigning from his FG job to face his private businesses, he chose to run it side by side. Hence Idris should not be spared for violating the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ” NACAT stated.
