By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
The Public Relations Officer, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Silvanus Blake has said the salaries of over four thousand (4,000) public officials’ would be suspended for October.
Blake was speaking to Politico in an Interview on 13the October this year.
“The info graph that we sent to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) shows around four thousand public officials, amounting ten per cent haven’t declared their assets yet,’’ he said, noting that the figures didn’t include those just employed or those leaving.
He said Section 119 of the Commission’s Act of 2008 as amended in 2019, states that all public officials should declare their assets every two years, covering those officials in ‘grade seven and above’ and those having to do with utilization and management of public resources.
’’So every two years, they should declare their assets,’’ Silvanus emphasized, adding that they were expecting all public officials to have declared their assets in 2022.
He further stated that those who have been appointed, elected or selected into public offices should as well declare their assets, and that those that have vacated offices should do the same ‘within three months.’ of leaving office.
Silvanus said at the end of last year, they told officials to declare their assets via online, but that there are a number of them who haven’t declared, adding Section 122 of the ACC Act as amended makes provision for the Commission to take administrative action against officials who do not declare their assets, notably by withholding of salaries.
He said the Unit for Assets Declaration of the ACC met with officials in the Accountant –General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance, informing them about those who haven’t declared their assets, and the decision to suspend payment of their salaries.
’’So the Ministry and the Account General had written memos to all public institutions, informing them that those who have not declared their income assets and liability will not be paid by the end of this October,’’ Silvanus maintained.
The grace period of 15th October (Sunday Yesterday) given for the workers to do their asset declaration, had elapsed.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (16/10/23)
