*鈥楳ost personnel of Nigeria鈥檚 Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) have become beggars, from transport fare to food; we ask relatives and friends to get by. We are dying of hunger鈥� 鈹�Staff

*Prof. Muhammad Isah, Chairman of CCB, at a recent press conference hinted that 鈥榦ur staff are poorly paid鈥�

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

Against the backdrop of non-payment of their salaries barely hours to Christmas as of Friday, December 24, 2021, personnel of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Abuja, FCT, have cried out about hunger, saying the situation has brought misery upon them.

The CCB is of one of the leading anti-corruption agencies with the sole mandate of assets verification of public officers in Nigeria.

However, despite the Bureau鈥檚 crucial responsibility in tackling the alleged widespread corruption in the West African country鈥檚 public sector, the CCB has grappled with poor funding, a development CCB workers say 鈥渆xposes assets verification officers to kickbacks from politicians who want to beat the system.鈥�

A staff member at the CCB鈥檚 Headquarters, in Abuja, who spoke with Premium Times on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the agency鈥檚 workers are being owed two months鈥� salaries.

The staff reportedly said: 鈥淲e are being owed November and December salaries, and the situation is getting out of hand. For instance, I can no longer provide food for my wife and children.鈥�

Another staff at CCB鈥檚 annex office in Asokoro area of Abuja, stated that 鈥渕ost personnel of the CCB have become beggars; from fare to food, we ask relatives and friends to get by. We are dying of hunger.鈥�

A visit to the CCB鈥檚 Headquarters in Abuja Thursday, December 23 indicated most of the offices were deserted as a clerical officer of agency, who did not want his name mentioned for fear of persecution, attributed the situation to the non-payment of staff salaries, report said.

鈥淭he situation has been very tough since November, but this Christmas will be bleak for us all,鈥� stated the distraught staffer.

In connection with payment of his children鈥檚 school fees January 2022, a worker at the CCB annex office in Asokoro, in Abuja, also said that the Christmas celebrations were least of his problems.

The agency鈥檚 staff noted: 鈥淢y headache is my children鈥檚 school fees in January.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a private school; so you have to pay the school fees before resumption,鈥� said he.

The Bureau鈥檚 operational encumbrances, by CCB Chairman

Earlier November 2021, Prof. Muhammad Isah, Chairman of CCB, had told reports at a press conference, in Abuja, that 鈥渙ur staff are poorly paid.鈥�

The Professor of Law had lamented the agency鈥檚 operational encumbrances in the country.

According to Isah, topping the list was poor manpower for an intractable problem of corruption in Nigeria鈥檚 public service.

He said: 鈥淲e have less than 800 personnel across the country for 10 million public officers whom we are investigating their assets.鈥�

Isah also warned of the 鈥渄anger ahead if new persons are not recruited to replace the deceased and retired鈥� in the CCB.

In terms of budgetary allocations, he purported that some individuals were out to 鈥渟trangulate鈥� the Bureau by starving it of funding.

Isah further explained the manpower shortage in the agency as he said 鈥渨e get N36 million as overhead per release, and this year, we have received nine releases of N297 million (in total, instead of N324 million).

鈥淢onitoring more than 10 million public officers is not easy.鈥�

The CCB Chair also stated: 鈥淥f all its mandate, verification is one of the most, if not the most tedious exercise. It is capital intensive.

鈥淒espite the above, and the fact that the Bureau is poorly funded considering our budgetary allocation, we are determined to go ahead with the process to ensure the success of the fight against corruption.鈥�

We鈥檙e working hard to clear salary arrears 鈥揅CB Director

Meanwhile, Mr. Babs Ogunjimi, Director of Finance and Accounts at CCB, in a telephone interview Friday said efforts were being made to clear the backlog of staff salaries.

Mr. Ogunjimi said: 鈥淭hey (workers) will get their salaries if not today, then tomorrow.鈥�

According to CCB Director of Finance and Accounts, the Federal Government had 鈥渨orked on it.鈥�

鈥淭hat was why the National Assembly passed the virement request of the President along with the national budget.鈥�

He was quoted to have assured that 鈥淣ovember and December salaries will be paid together.鈥�

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