With ethical problems lingering in the nation’s public service, the country’s 2020 project will be blurred, the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Barrister Yakubu Tuktur, has said.

At a press conference in Abuja Tuesday, Tuktur said that unethical conduct by public officials constitutes the major obstacle to the country joining the top 20 economies of the world in the year 2020, adding that, "our greatness as a nation and our goodness as a people is complete when placed on a clean plate of transparency and accountability".

According to him, asset declaration by public officers is a serious issue that requires an ethical decision, pointing out that: "Our vision for the future is a situation where public officers declare assets on time, honestly and with integrity, as a matter of course and not of compulsion".

He regretted that people tend to do what they want and what is in their personal interest against what is the right thing to do, which, he noted puts a moral burden on the Bureau to sensitise the public on their responsibility regarding their conduct as public officers and the need to insist on public accountability.

Tukfur told the press conference that monitoring the lifestyles of public officers which manifest in the assets acquired should not be left only to government agencies fighting corruption, noting that the social tolerance level of the people determines the success and the sustainability of an anti-corruption strategy of the government.

He said the delay in making the terms and conditions for public access by the National Assembly erode public confidence on the potency of assets declaration as an instrument of transparency and accountability in public office.

The CCB boss said one of the major challenges the Bureau faced during investigation is lack of public capacity to make complaints that serves the interest of the people, just as he described most of the complaints as frivolous and vindictive.

"Where we find merit, we run into some brick walls either because the complainant is afraid to disclose identity, contact address or lack of capacity to make complaints that can generate credible evidence to withstand the stress of prosecution at the Tribunal", he said.

The Bureau, he noted is pressing for the passage of the whistle blowers protection and freedom of information bills and is also making effort to manage and solve complaints, enforce recommendations, play advisory role and provide technical solutions that would render public service delivery more responsive, effective and efficient.