The refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan
and other public officials to publicly declare their assets as required
by law, has been pointed as the chief reason Nigeria has been denied
membership of the Open Government Partnership, an influential global anti-corruption initiative backed by major nations.
The partnership was launched by world
leaders in 2011 to ensure governments’ commitment to promote
transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption and use new
technologies to strengthen governance.
Its membership has grown from eight
countries to 60 countries in just two years, and is now viewed as a mark
of a country’s high transparency standard.
While Nigeria was spurned, six African
countries have been admitted to the prestigious body. They are Ghana,
Liberia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa.
Jack Mahoney, the partnership’s Program Associate, told our source in an email that despite showing an interest, Nigeria has failed to make the cut to be accepted as a member.
“Nigeria is very close to eligibility,
but has not yet reached the necessary score. At last count performed in
March 2013, the Nigerian Government scored an 11/16, and is therefore
one point away from the 12/16 minimum score required for countries to be
eligible to join,” he said.
Top on the list of the reasons given why
Nigeria is still falling short is the blatant refusal of President
Jonathan, alongside other public officials, to publicly declare their
assets.
Last year, during a media chat, Mr
Jonathan showed utter disregard for transparency when he declared he was
not going to declare his assets publicly.
“The issue of asset declaration is a
matter of principle. I don’t give a damn about it, if you want to
criticise me from heaven. The issue of public declaration I think is
playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare any assets.
If I am somebody who wants to hide it is what I tell you that you will
even believe,” the president said.
Mr Mahoney also told our source that
for country to be accepted as a member, it needs to publish its annual
Audit Report measured by the Open Budget Index (OBI).
The OBI measures the state of budget transparency, participation, and oversight in countries around the world.
Last year, Nigeria’s budget scored a
woeful 16 point out of 100 leaving the country at the 80th position out
of the 100 countries surveyed. With 93 points, New Zealand was rated as
the country with the most transparent budget followed by South Africa
with 90 points.
Mr Mahoney said Nigeria needs to also
improve its score in the Democracy Index (DI) to be considered for
membership. The DI is compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit and it
measures the state of democracy in 167 countries base on 60 indicators
grouped in five different categories: electoral process and pluralism,
civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation, and
political culture. In 2012, DI Nigeria was ranked the 7th most
terrorised country in the world.
Three Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGO) have called the federal government to task over the inability of
the country to qualify as a member of the Open Government Partnership
(OGP) membership.
Media Rights Agenda
(MRA), BudgIT Nigeria, and Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC)
say “Nigeria’s inability to meet OGP’s eligibility requirements
constitutes a major slur on the country’s image and reputation,
particularly in the light that six other African countries are already
members of the OGP.”
The groups therefore advised the government to do the following to be accepted as a member of the OGP:
1. “Ensure that audit reports of
public accounts, particularly by the Auditor-General of the Federation,
are proactively disclosed and made available to members of the public.
2. Ensure that incomes of all
categories of public officers are proactively disclosed as required by
Section 2(3) (d) (vi) of the Freedom of Information Act and other
applicable laws.
3. The Code of Conduct Bureau
should bring itself into compliance with the Freedom of Information Act
by acceding to requests from members of the public for it to disclose
asset declarations in its custody submitted by elected and senior
government officials, which constitute information maintained by it as a
public institution within the meaning of the Act.
4. Improve citizen participation
and civic engagement in policy-making and in all aspects of governance,
including around the issue of Nigeria’s membership of the OGP.”
(Culled From Premium Times)
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Dr. Goodluck Jonathan steal nothing compared to IBB.
ReplyDeleteBe realistic and dwell on the issue at hand. Let Jonathan declare his assets as required by law. IBB was a military president and most stories about him are just myths. Apart from his hilltop mansion what other assets/investments does IBB have? Pls list them. GEJ and his cronies are milking this country dry. Imagine Tompolo buying a private jet. IBB never owned a jet all his life.
DeleteWho says president Jonathan did not declare his assets according to the law? The president declared his assets strictly in accordance with the law. He has refused to make his declaration public. The law does not require him to make his declaration public.
DeleteThen, let him declare. No one disputing that
ReplyDeleteGEJ declared his assets. All he said was he will not publish it in the newspaper. If you want access to it, apply to the CCB. If they don't give you the information go to court. That is the law. Report and publish facts not lies and innuendo.
ReplyDeleteYar'dua declared his own asset to the public in case nigerians cant remember that. the moment goodluck refused then... i knew there was something fishy about ds jonathan guy. yet his supporters want us to believe that jonathan is a gentle-easy going fellow who has nothing to hide. so sorrry for those who never saw through the veil of the so called "no shoes to wear to school story"..... if the man has nothing to hide why the phobia for Public Asset Declaration. yes the law may not require him but in a country degenerated to this level of public and private corruption, leadership leading the light of accountability is more than enough as a motivation or a moral burden to do so. am sure he will not be breaking any law by doing so. and if such law does not exist before now, why cant he as his own contribution to the war against corruption present a bill making it mandatory for puclic officers to declare their asset to the public. and for the people saying anybody seeking such information from code of conduct bereau without response should go to court....well are we talking of the same nigerian court that discharge and acquinted IBORI? ....i neva expected anything from PDP in general and GEJ in particular and neither have i been disappointed either.
ReplyDeleteif IBB did not buy jet did u know what he still no go find work do they fight for people wey don make am i pity una
ReplyDeleteif IBB did not buy jet did u know what he steal? no go find work do they fight for people wey don make am i pity una
ReplyDeletemr man if you have chamber you can charge GEJ to ur chamber now why shouting if he GEJ declear the asset they what to share part for you? mumu
ReplyDeleteI wonder why some people will leave the point at hand and start attacking themselves. If GEJ does not see it right to declare now, why did he declare when he was the VP, under Yar'adua? It show he has a skeleton in his cupboard and all his borrowing is another evidence that the man is stashing our cash somewhere. He looks gentle and easy going, but he is smart in milking the country dry.
ReplyDelete