HEDA Tells FG To Enforce Bank Employees ‘Asset Declaration Act To Curb Corruption

The Human and Environ­mental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has charged the Federal Govern­ment on the immediate enforce­ment of the Bank Employees on the Declaration of Assets Act.

This move is part of a con­certed effort to combat corrup­tion and promote transparency within Nigeria’s banking sec­tor.

HEDA, in a letter signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, addressed to the Secre­tary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the anti-corruption group emphasised the signifi­cance of the Bank Employees on the Declaration of Assets Act, currently in effect.

According to him, the Act was instituted during a period marked by rampant corruption within the banking industry, with corrupt public officials frequently exploiting bank em­ployees and financial institu­tions to launder ill-gotten gains.

The section 1 of the Act man­dates that all bank employees in Nigeria disclose their as­sets within 14 days of the Act’s commencement or upon their employment as new staff. Fur­thermore, Section 2 confers authority upon the President or an appointed figure, such as the Secretary to the Federal Government or an individual designated in the Federal Ga­zette, to oversee the Act’s im­plementation.