By Bukola Hameed
The authority of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo yesterday, 22 December, 2020 played host to a team of officers from the Code of Conduct Bureau, Ibadan.
In a release made available by the Special Assistant on Media Matters to the Provost, Wale Adeoye, the team, led by Mr. Bolaji Amoo came as part of its official assignments aimed at sensitising staffers of the College on asset declaration.
Speaking at the occasion, the Team Leader, Mr. Bolaji Amoo traced the historical background of the Code of Conduct Bureau and how it became enacted as a law.
According to him, “The CCB was established in Nigeria in 1979 during the Second Republic after 13 years of military rule by the founding fathers of the first post-military constitution.
The 1979 Constitution provided a list of Codes of Conduct for public officers. The military administration of Murtala /Obasanjo inaugurated a Board before handing over power to the civilian government in July 1983, which could not make appreciable impact because of the inability of the National Assembly of the second republic to pass the enabling law.
Several years later in 1989, the Bureau got its legal mandate under the Babangida regime. The Code of Conduct provision has since then maintained a permanence of some sort, in the 5th schedule of all constitutions following thereafter; 1989, 1993, 1995,1999 and the current 1999 constitution (as amended)”.
While charging members of staff to declare their assets in line with the provisions of law, Mr. Amoo submitted that the mandate of the Bureau is “to establish and maintain a high standard of public morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the actions and behavior of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability”.
Earlier, the Provost, Dr. Rasak A. Adefabi in his welcome speech appreciated the team for visiting the College on staff sensitization which according to him would ease the assignment.
According to College helmsman, “this is a College that is always ready for things like this. I am sure our staff shall do the needful after the sensitization as I know this is not the first time we are having this exercise. I assure your team of our unalloyed cooperation during and after the exercise”.
“I therefore, on behalf of the Chairman, Governing Council, Prof. Matthew Odedokun and the 14th Council Members, College Management, Staff, Students and members of the College Community welcome you to Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo”, the Iseyin-born Economist submitted.