– Governance in Nigeria is reaching new heights since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari to power

– The president’s decision to declare his assets publicly was well applauded by all and sundry

– Some of his appointees are now following suit

The executive secretary, Nigeria Extractive Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Waziri Adio, today, April 13, declared his assets publicly.

Adio, 47, was appointed as the NEITI boss about a month ago by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Giving reasons why he declared his assets, Adio said as the head of a transparency and accountability agency, he believes he needs to model the values the agency espouse.


He went on give other reasons saying, ”nothing forbids public disclosure; non-disclosure makes the exercise a hollow act; we need to be the change we seek.”

Adio also stated that he believes all public officers should declare their assets publicly.

According to Adio, he decided to take this action based on the examples laid by President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, minister of solid minerals; Kayode Fayemi and Senator Shehu Sani among others.

Part of Adio’s assets includes stakes in an online news website; The Cable, an Abuja-based magazine; The Metropole and a bakery in the city.

He also listed a 1 unit of 3-bedroom bungalow in an estate in suburb of Abuja bought at N17.5m, now valued at N25m; 2 units of 3 bedroom flats in Lambe, Ogun valued at N12m; undeveloped plots (1000sqm) in Iwo, Oyo state valued at N700,000 and a yet-to-be-located 600sqm land in a disputed estate in the state bought at N750,000.

In cash, Adio has N3, 810, 206 in Access Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and also $821 in domicillary accounts in Access and UBA banks.

Adio listed some other assets like his house hold items, generators, shares in banks, vehicles and his wife businesses.

Speaking to NAIJ.com on Adio’s action, a Lagos-based legal practitioner; Kingsley Jephter, praised the NEITI boss for the step he took, while urging other public officials to follow suit

”It is not enough to declare your assets as some of them have done in the past, they should go public with it as Mr Adio has done. This shows that we still have a lot of honest persons in our midst who are ready to serve this nation creditably,” he said.

NAIJ recalls that after President Buhari declared his assets, all the 36 state governors hurriedly did same at the  Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) even though they didn’t declare them publicly.

https://www.naij.com/798063-change-president-buharis-appointee-publicly-declares-assets.html?source=index_trending