Anti-Corruption War: Strike Action Weakens CCB, CCT

The protracted industrial action since embarked on by staffs of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) seemed to have caused more harm, than achieving its intended good. It has also prevented the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to adjudicate on several corruption cases submitted for prosecution

The ugly development has hindered CCB from effectively investigating and prosecution of high-profile cases of non-compliance to assets declaration responsibility and other unethical activities perpetrated by civil servants and public officers, Mrs. Fatima Danjuma has disclosed.

Mrs. Danjuma, who is Senior Counsel to CCB told the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar last Tuesday.

She gave the reason for the slow pace of investigations and prosecution at CCB when she appeared before Justice Danladi Umar, at CCT’s court premises, in Abuja.

The counsel disclosed that investigations have already reached advanced stages on some cases bordering on non-compliance to declarations of assets by several public office holders before the strike action prevented legal suits to be filed at the CCT.

While speaking, she also mentioned that their prosecution tasks have seriously been hampered due to the fact that members of CCB’s Governing Board are yet to be screened and approved by the National Assembly (NASS) who are still on recess, though their names have been forwarded for confirmation.

Investigations by PRNigeria revealed that the aggrieved staff of the CCB have embarked on strike to protest against the illegal reinstatement of the acting secretary of the bureau, Mrs. Folashade Abiodun Kolawale after she had retired.

It was alleged that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was one of the powerful force behind the return of Mrs. Folashade, into the federal government agency.

The protesting staff have vowed not to resume work, till the decision of reinstating the erstwhile acting secretary is rescinded.

Some anonymous staff who spoke to PRNigeria expressed their displeasure over the return of Mrs. Folashade, who they described as a “high-handed, self-conceited and unsympathetic boss.”

“We shall remain unyielding in our patriotic stance, to see that Mrs. Folashade is shown the exit door, once again. She is very unpopular and deserves not to be saddled with any leadership responsibility, either at the bureau or elsewhere” a disenchanted staff said.