CCB Commences Verification Of Asset Declaration By Public Officers In South-South

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Monday commenced verification of asset declaration of public officers in the South-South geopolitical zone.

The CCB team to the South-South zone is led by a board member representing the South-South, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma alongside two directors drawn from CCB Headquarters to cover the six States in the zone.

The exercise is to physically verify details of what public officers declared and ensure that what is contained in officers’ assets declared forms is what is on the ground.

It will also help the Bureau to build a verifiable database that will meet international standards in the anti-corruption effort of the present administration.

A statement made available to journalists in Abuja read:

“This is to inform the general public and public officers in particular, that in line with the mandate of the Code of Conduct Bureau as enshrined in paragraph 3(B), part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria (as amended), the office has constituted a team of Intelligence officers to verify the assets and liability details declared by public officers in the country.

“The Team for the South- South Zone will be led by the Bureau Board member representing the South South in the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma along with two directors drawn from CCB Headquarters to cover the six States in the zone.

“They are Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers to be supervised by Mr. Daniel Okafor, while Dr Ben Nyong will oversee Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Edo states respectively.

“The exercise will commence in the zone from the 5th of February to 7th of March, 2024. During the exercise, affected public officers will be required to provide documentary evidence of the assets declared and where necessary take officers to site to physically verify the assets.

“The exercise is to physically verify details of what public officers declared and ensure that what is contained in officers assets declared forms is what is on ground. It will also help the Bureau to build a verifiable database that will meet international standards in the anti corruption effort of the present administration.

“It is necessary to advise affected public officers to keep to the schedule as communicated to them by the office as failure to attend will invite further scrutiny and vetting.

“Public officers should note that this is a routine exercise usually carried out by the Bureau as part of its mandate and it is not targeted at any particular group of public officers or interest and insinuation to the contrary should be ignored.”