Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday charged the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to remain apolitical and uphold its independence in order to sustain integrity, transparency and accountability in public service.

Shettima also urged the bureau to deepen its digitisation reforms to align Nigeria’s asset declaration process with global standards and eliminate the inefficiencies associated with manual documentation.

The Vice President spoke while receiving a delegation from the CCB led by its Chairman, Abdullahi Usman Bello, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He congratulated the new management team on its appointment and cautioned members against being drawn into political controversies that could undermine the credibility of the institution.

“Remain steadfast. Be as apolitical as humanly possible and do your job as much as you can,” Shettima told the delegation.

The Vice President commended the bureau’s ongoing digitisation efforts, noting that technological reforms would make asset declaration more efficient, transparent and accessible for public officials across the country.

According to him, the new system should enable public officers to declare their assets and liabilities electronically from any location, eliminating the delays and bottlenecks associated with paper-based forms.

“There is no need for public officials thronging your offices trying to fill in some forms. And you can take them to task, since it has been digitised. You expect everyone to play by the rules,” he added.

Shettima further stressed that the bureau has a critical role to play in projecting a positive image for Nigeria through transparent and accountable public service processes.

Earlier, Bello thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Vice President for appointing a new leadership team for the bureau and increasing its budgetary allocation.

He disclosed that the bureau had embarked on several reforms, including the digitisation of its operational processes, alongside strengthened verification, investigation and prosecution activities.

According to the CCB chairman, the bureau has recorded recoveries both within and outside Nigeria, including in London, as part of its anti-corruption efforts.

Bello assured the Vice President that with sustained government support and adequate funding, the bureau would continue to strengthen the fight against corruption and promote accountability in public office.