NDC, CCB Partner to Overhaul College Curriculum for Greater Transparency

The National Defence College (NDC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) have entered into a strategic partnership to modernize the College’s curriculum, integrating specialized training on public fund management and assets declaration. The agreement was finalized on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the NDC Commandant, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, to the CCB Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello, at the Bureau’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Curriculum Modernization

In his remarks, Rear Admiral Ahmed emphasized that the College’s current curriculum requires a significant “rejig” to align with contemporary governance and security realities. He noted that the infusion of CCB’s expertise in financial oversight is critical for senior military officers. “Upon taking command of the College, I discovered that the curriculum has not been reviewed for some time,” Rear Admiral Ahmed stated. “We want participants to learn the intricacies of managing public funds effectively. We need insights from the masters so that whenever our officers assume high-office, they know exactly how to navigate financial responsibilities.”

The Commandant further offered the services of the NDC’s Center for Strategic Research to assist the CCB in conducting specialized research to bolster the Bureau’s operations.

Integrity in the Armed Forces

Responding to the proposal, Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello expressed the Bureau’s full commitment to the collaboration, describing the visit as a testament to the NDC’s resolve to comply with federal transparency standards. Dr Bello took the opportunity to remind all members of the Armed Forces of their legal obligations regarding the declaration of assets.

Mandatory Compliance: Asset declaration is a legal requirement for all public officers, including military personnel.

Anti-Corruption Drive: The Chairman characterized corruption as a “cankerworm” and stressed that the Code of Conduct is essential to rid the public service of large-scale fraud.

Conscientization: He urged officers to conscientize themselves toward acceptable behavior to earn and maintain public trust.

The Commandant was accompanied by a high-powered delegation, including:

Major General KO Ukandu, Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies, AVM E Owai, College Secretary and some College Directors.

The visit concluded with the signing of the visitor’s book by Rear Admiral Ahmed and a commemorative group photograph, signaling the start of a new era of inter-agency cooperation between the military’s premier educational institution and the nation’s integrity watchdog.