The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has stepped up its anti-corruption drive with the verification of asset declarations submitted by 108 high-risk public officials, including ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies.
The Chairman of the Bureau, Dr. Abdullahi Bello, disclosed this at the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of Agora Policy’s Policy Writing Fellowship and the unveiling of the Local Governance Accountability Portal and Policy Registry in Abuja.
Bello said the comprehensive verification exercise covered 19 ministers, 37 permanent secretaries, 20 heads of government agencies and 32 other senior public officials as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in public service.
He also announced that the Bureau had successfully developed its Online Asset and Liabilities Declaration System, which is now ready for deployment and testing.
According to him, the digital platform will serve as a central database for the asset declarations of public officers across the country, making monitoring and verification more efficient.
The CCB chairman further disclosed that the Bureau had intensified enforcement actions, leading to the forfeiture of several assets, including a property in London, while a number of cases had been referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution.
He revealed that the Chief of Staff to a state governor was recently arraigned before the tribunal, describing the development as proof of the Bureau’s resolve to hold public officers accountable regardless of their position or influence.
“Our commitment is to ensure that public officers comply with the law and are held accountable where necessary,” Bello said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, represented by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, described the newly unveiled Local Governance Accountability Portal as a major breakthrough in promoting transparency at the grassroots.
He noted that local government finances had remained largely shielded from public scrutiny over the years, adding that the portal would empower citizens with the information required to monitor public spending and demand accountability from their elected officials.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Agora Policy, Waziri Adio, said the initiative was designed to bridge the accountability gap at the local government level despite the increasing allocations being received by councils across the country.
Adio lamented that higher funding had not translated into improved governance or better service delivery in many local government areas, stressing the need for greater transparency and citizen participation in public finance management.
