The Presidency has advised a civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to seek information about President Goodluck Jonathan’s assets declaration from the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, since the bureau “has the powers and responsibility for addressing the issues such as the one you are pursuing.”

This response followed a request by the group made under the Freedom of Information Act asking President Jonathan to “provide information on your assets declaration details between May 2007 and May 2012, and to publish widely the information on a dedicated website.”

However, in a letter with reference number SH/SHC/9/Vol.6/128, dated 5 July 2012 and signed by Jalal A. Arabi, State House Counsel on behalf of the Chief of Staff to the President, the presidency said: “I am to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26 June 2012 in which you request Mr. President to urgently provide information on his assets declaration details between May 2007 and May 2012, hinging your request on the provisions of both the 1999 Constitution as amended, and the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

“I take the liberty in advising that you explore the possibility of invoking Section 3(1) Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, referred to in your write-up.”

,which has conferred powers and responsibility for addressing issues such as the one you are pursuing. Please be assured of the Chief of Staff’s kind request.”

In response, the group’s Executive Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “Firstly, we welcome the response by Mr. President as a very positive development for government’s accountability in this country because it is rare to see this kind of dialogue between the presidency and civil society.

“So, Mr. President has broken a new ground, which we now hope will be translated into good governance and improved transparency and accountability for millions of impoverished Nigerians.

“Secondly, while the advice by the presidency is sound constitutionally, we took the decision to simultaneously send our letter to both President Jonathan and the Code of Conduct Bureau because we believe the issue is not only a constitutional matter but also a moral one.

“We expected the President, being the father of the nation, to have shown leadership by example.”

-Vanguard

Posted by admin on Jul 11 2012. Filed under Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Presidency. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry