By Andrew Utulu
The Area Controller of the Ports and Terminal Multipurpose Services Limited (PTML), Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Tenny Daniyan has urged the officers of the Command to declare their assets and comply with Code of Conduct rules as demanded by law
He made this charge during the sensitization on self-service system for asset declaration by the Code of Conduct Bureau at the Command, on Thursday July 3, 2025.
SC Abdullahi Abubakar,Customs PRO, PTML Command disclosed in a statement.
Meanwhile in his address, Comptroller Daniyan said the rationale behind the program was to enlighten the officers of the command on the importance and procedures of asset declaration and its aim which is promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity within the public service.
Daniyan added that by providing detailed guidance on the correct way to declare assets, the CCB ensures that all officers understand their responsibilities in upholding ethical standards and complying with constitutional requirements.
Speaking on integrity, he said, “Integrity is not only how you do your work, but how you live your life. The people who are supposed to monitor us and have a say in our lifestyle when we live above our means are here with us. The last time we brought in the ICPC, it was our way of educating ourselves and putting ourselves on our toes to continue doing the right thing.”
He added that the session will also provide an opportunity to clarify common misconceptions, address specific questions, and reinforce the legal implications of non-compliance.
The Lagos State Director of Code of Conduct Bureau, Mrs. Kafayat Popoola said the Bureau is the pioneer anti-corruption agency in Nigeria which was established by the federal government as enshrined in Section 153 of the 1999 constitution.
According to her, the Bureau has the mandate to establish and maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business, and to ensure that actions and behavior of public officers conforms with the highest standard of public morality and accountability.
She added that, declaration of assets is received every four years during service and during retirement from public service and any officer who flouts the law will have to report to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for litigation.
Mrs. Popoola said the Code of Conduct for Public Officers is the set of moral principles or rules of behaviour that are generally accepted by society and that by implication, public officers must follow suit.She noted that assets can be declared online directly and submitted immediately.
While reading out the code to the officers, she said ” public officers should prioritize public interest in the course of discharging their responsibilities and avoid occupying more than one public office at any point in time
“Public officers that retire after retirement from public service and while drawing pensions from public funds are not allowed to be engaged in full-time employment in more than one full-time employment with the government-owned entities. A public officer who retires as the president of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the vice president, the governor of state, the deputy governor, the chief justice of Nigeria is prohibited to serve in the employment of any foreign government.
“Under the provisions of the constitution, every public officer shall, within three months, after coming into force of this code, or immediately after taking office, declare their assets, that of their spouse, who is not a public officer, and children under the age of eighteen, to the code of conduct of the law.
“The consequence of violation or breach of the code is that you can be barred, your salary can be withheld for not declaring your assets. If a public officer sends anybody to nominate somebody on his or her behalf, by proxy, it still amounts to the fact that the public officer is the one that commits that crime” she said
The session featured a question-and-answer segments where officers inquired about asset declaration procedures, penalties for non-compliance, and how to use the new self-service platform.
