Funding, staffing shortfalls hamper Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts = CCB chair

The Acting Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Murtala Kankia, says poor budget funding and inadequate staff members have crippled the fight against corruption in the country.

He said this during the inauguration of a new department focused on the proceeds of crime recovery and management department, held on Tuesday in Abuja.

“One of our major challenges in the fight against corruption is the lack of sufficient funding and manpower,” the CCB chairperson said.

“We are responsible for overseeing asset declarations across all public offices, including those in the 36 states and 774 local government areas. However, the resources currently allocated to us are woefully inadequate. Our capital budget is around N173 million, which is far from enough to conduct thorough verifications of asset declarations, both domestically and internationally.”

The chairman explained that the CCB’s staff has dwindled over the years, further straining its operations.

“When the Bureau was established in 1979, we had about 1,008 employees. Due to resignations, retirements, and deaths, we now have fewer than 800 staff members. This number is insufficient to cover our extensive mandate, which includes not only the federal capital territory but also all ministries, departments, and agencies across the federation,” he lamented.

In addition to funding and manpower constraints, the chairman highlighted the bureau’s dire lack of office space.

Cross section of participants at the event

“We are currently operating from the Federal Secretariat Complex, which doesn’t provide adequate accommodation for our offices and equipment. We also rent a small apartment in Asokoro and some states, but this is not enough,” he said.

Sleeping giant

The CCB was established by the Nigerian constitution with vast anti-corruption mandates.

The constitution empowers to enforce compliance with the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in the constitution.

Accepting and keeping custody of asset declarations made by public officers from the local, state, and federal governments is only a fragment of its responsibilities under the constitution and its enabling law.

It has the power to prosecute public officers for breach of any aspect of the Codes, including failure or improper declaration of assets, bribery, among other violations.

It is the body with a mandate to prosecute such breaches at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)

However, many said the CCB and its sister agency, the CCT, are nothing more than a tool of political oppression often deployed by the federal might against perceived adversaries.

President Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, is among the political heavyweights that the CCB has previously charged at the tribunal for a breach of the code. The incumbent National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has also been charged at the tribunal. Both of them, among a long list of politically exposed persons, were charged at the tribunal at the height of their opposition or confrontation with the administration in power at various times. Most of the cases, including the two men’s, were struck out without trial.

Why CCB can’t fulfil its mandate

Mr Kankia stressed that the bureau’s ability to fulfil this mandate is being undermined by its resource limitations.

“Our mission is to receive, examine, investigate, verify, and prosecute cases of asset declaration violations. But without adequate funding, our ability to gather intelligence, conduct investigations, and provide the necessary training for our staff is severely hampered,” Mr Kankia said.

The chairman emphasised that the inauguration of the new department, which aligns with the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, marks a critical step forward in the CCB’s anti-corruption mission.

“This new department will strengthen our relationship with other agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). Together, we will make a stronger push against corruption,” he said.

In his remarks, the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Neda Imasuen, who chaired the event, hailed the creation of the new department as a major milestone in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.

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“The department must foster a culture of integrity and professionalism, ensuring that its operations are beyond reproach and that its outcomes are measurable and impactful,” he said.

Mr Imasuen also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the new department and other law enforcement and financial institutions.

In a goodwill message, the chairman of the ICPC, Musa Ali, underscored the significance of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), which provides a legal framework for asset recovery in Nigeria.

“With POCA, we now have the means to recover and manage these assets, but there are still challenges,” he said.

Mr Ali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also pointed to the broader challenge of recovering assets hidden outside Nigeria.

“Asset recovery is not just about identifying stolen funds but also bringing them back to where they can be used to benefit the public,” Mr Ali emphasised.

He said the CCB’s success in combating corruption hinges on its ability to collaborate with both local and international bodies.

Mr Ali also highlighted the importance of whistleblower protection in the fight against corruption. “Whistleblowers play a vital role in exposing corrupt practices, but without adequate protection, they are vulnerable to reprisals. The CCB should advocate for stronger laws to protect whistleblowers and ensure that their reports are thoroughly investigated.”