AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU AND CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL (CCB and CCT)’S PUBLIC ETHICS PRACTICES (1999 - 2007)
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU AND CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL (CCB and CCT)’S PUBLIC ETHICS PRACTICES (1999 - 2007)
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Date
2012-12
Authors
AUDU, Jacob
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Abstract
The prevalence and ubiquity of unethical behaviours and practices in Nigeria is no longer debatable
considering their obviously insidious plague and a wide range of corrosive effects on the Nigerian
state. What is more perplexing, however, is why this problem has defied all attempts at combating it.
Thus, this dissertation is an assessment of the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct
Tribunal in the practice of public ethics in Nigeria’s democratic governance (1999-2007). In order to
achieve this aim, the constitutional mandates of the Bureau and the Tribunal were used as parameters
for assessment. Relying on the survey method of research and documentary evidence with the aid of
descriptive statistics, the study found out that the CCB and CCT were established primarily to promote public
ethics in public service. Other findings show that in terms of Assets Declaration Forms(ADFs) issued to public
officers within the mandate of the Bureau, over 784,000 public officers returned the Completed Assets
Declaration forms(CADFs) representing over 70% rate of return which is a far cry from an estimation that
eligible people for the forms are over 4,000,000 within the periods under investigation (1999-2007) Also
findings shows that out of the number of complaints received by the CCT, only 11,640 were referred to the CCT
for trials, out of which only 3,304. The rest were either adjourned until it died down or struck out for
lack of merit. With the prevalent nature of this menace and the number of convicts, it is a clear
manifestation of ineffectiveness of the CCB and CCT. On the fourth objective of the study, which
focuses on the performance assessment of the CCB and CCT, overwhelming majority of the
respondents had indicated that the CCB and CCT had performed below expectation; but considering
the efforts made at organizing workshops, retreat and the extent to which public officer on their come
to fill, complete and submit Assets Declaration Forms today unlike in the past and the fact that some
officers were tried and given a public show means they deserve a pass mark. The study, in agreement
with the theoretical postulation of functionalism identified institutional framework, financial,
manpower in terms of quality and quantity, legal and constitutional set back and lack of political
commitment and willingness on the part of political leadership as factors responsible for the ineffective
performance of their functions. This therefore buttressed the postulation of these scholars that
establishing institutions alone does not solve the problem but providing what they referred to as
functional prerequisites are very fundamental to effective performance of these institutions. However,
we make the following recommendations for an improved performance. Theoretically, the study
recommends that there is a need for the provision of the necessary requirements for the functioning of
the institutions such as adequate funding, staffing, independence of the institutions to enable them
function well. Above all, political leadership must display leadership by example at all levels of
governance.
Description
A Dissertation submitted to the Post Graduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in
Political Science.
December, 2012
Keywords
ASSESSMENT,, CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU,, CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL (CCB and CCT)’S,, PUBLIC ETHICS PRACTICES (1999 - 2007).