By OKON OKON

The Federal Government has unveiled a virtual interactive tool to enhance understanding and implementation of the code of conduct for public officers.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, launched the platform on Tuesday in Abuja.

The initiative developed by the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR) in collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), is also aimed to address issues of corruption among public officers.

Walson-Jack said the initiative would strengthen integrity, accountability and ethical conduct across the public service.

She noted that the tool builds on a 2018 scoping survey and gap analysis of Nigeria?s ethics framework conducted by TUGAR, and was designed to provide a shared understanding of the Code?s provisions and facilitate training, as well as ensure its consistent application nationwide

?The launch of this tool could not have come at a better time, without ethics, no reform will last, this platform will make the code digital, accessible and practical for every public officer,? she said.

According to her, the tool will serve as a ?compass? for public servants, ensuring clarity on ethical standards and eliminating ignorance as an excuse for misconduct.

She stressed that an incorruptible public service could not thrive where due process was treated as optional.

According to her, the platform complements existing regulations such as the Public Service Rules, the Civil Service Handbook and guidelines on appointments and discipline.

Walson-Jack urged the CCB to regularly update the tool and ensure its integration into mandatory onboarding and career development programmes for civil servants.

Earlier, Mrs Jane Onwumere, Director of TUGAR, said the initiative was part of Nigeria?s commitment under Article 8 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption to use ethics as a preventive tool against corruption.

She explained that the project began in 2018 when TUGAR mapped and reviewed Nigeria?s ethics framework, leading to the development of the virtual tool in collaboration with the CCB.

?Our aim is to ensure that all public servants undergo this training to fully understand and operationalise the Code of Conduct in their daily work,? Onwumere said.

She added that the tool offered cost-effective, accessible, and consistent ethics training nationwide, while enabling tracking of compliance.

Also, Dr Abdullahi Bello, Chairman of the CCB, described the platform as a major step in enhancing ethical standards in the civil service.

?This virtual tool is a learning platform that explains each code with clear examples, such as avoiding conflicts of interest and the importance of asset declaration to promote openness and honesty,? Bello said.

He urged public officers to use the tool to guide their work with integrity and accountability.

Also, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the launch as a ?bold reaffirmation? of government?s commitment to good governance.

?The Code of Conduct for Public Officers is the moral and ethical bedrock of public service.

?For decades, it has guided good governance, but its impact has been limited by lack of awareness and accessibility.

?Digitising and making it virtually accessible is not just a technological advancement, but a reaffirmation of our national commitment to ethical leadership,? he said.

Fagbemi said the tool would enhance awareness, promote preventive compliance, facilitate training, and serve as a resource for citizens, civil society and oversight institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the Centre for Democracy and Development, and the NAKASI Project. (NAN)

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