*Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, emphasises the need for Nigeria to do something drastic to discourage corruption at the Local Council levels to ensure accountability and fiscal responsibility at the grassroots

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has emphasised the need for Nigeria to do something drastic to discourage corruption at the council levels for accountability and fiscal responsibility.

Mr. Ola Olukoyede, Executive Chairman of EFCC, who stated this Wednesday, February 18, 2025, tasked state governments, traditional rulers, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the need to check the spending of Local Government (LG) administrations within their domains.

Olukoyede disclosed this when he addressed a mixed audience of activists, traditional rulers, and Local Government bosses at the Gombe State Local Government Summit in the North-East state.

The EFCC Chief stressed the importance of discouraging corruption at the Local Council levels because the structure of accountability at the councils as presently constituted does not inspire confidence.

The Commission equally lamented the reported trend where Local Councils have become like Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) for greedy public officers, who feed on the ignorance or lethargy of the rural population to mine public wealth for private gain.

Olukoyede as well also faulted the trend where Local Government Chairman reside in state capitals, only visit their Council Secretariats once a month to share the largesse called Federal allocations.

He averred the Local Councils must not just be caricatures existing in names but be proactive to deliver good governance to the people at the grassroots.

EFCC won’t spare any financial malfeasance in LG Councils

According to him, there are prevalent corruption practices, such as the stealing of public resources through contract and procurement fraud, outright embezzlement of resources through brazen sharing of public funds, and several other shenanigans among local government officials.

Olukoyede asserted that the anti-graft regulatory Commission would not spare any culprit.

鈥淭he effects of corruption in our local governments are all too glaring for us to see: roads in terrible states of dilapidation because the resources meant for their construction have been cornered by a few greedy individuals, ill-equipped hospitals that cannot rise to the challenge of modern healthcare delivery, etc.

鈥淚t seems that the councils exist for the payment of salaries of council members of staff and primary school teachers,” he noted.

The Chairman further stated: “Once that is done, no one can account for the remainder of where the resources go, but it is common knowledge that most Council Chairman do not live within their council areas.

“They saunter into their Council Secretariats once every month to share the allocations from the Federation Account, and once they are done, they return to their palatial abandon mostly in their state capitals.”

He also said: “The resources that accrue to them over the years have not been properly managed; Councils have become Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) for avaricious public officers who feed on the ignorance or lethargy of the rural population to mine their public wealth for private gain.

鈥淭his disposition is unlikely to change except there is a conscious decision, a deliberate decision to embrace a new ethos of accountability and financial integrity.鈥�

鈥�No immunity for greedy LG Chairmen鈥�

Despite the recent Supreme Court victory for Local Councils’ financial autonomy, Olukoyede stressed the LG Chairmen have no constitutional immunity against arrest and prosecution for corrupt practices.

He said with more monies coming into Local Governments after the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to the third tier of government, Local Council Chairmen in the 774 Councils in Nigeria should develop the capacity to manage resources and implement strategic developmental projects for the benefit of their constituents.

He noted: “Even though you may have financial autonomy, you must also remember that you don鈥檛 have constitutional immunity.

“And so, the application of your resources will be strictly monitored, not only by anti-corruption agencies but even by the state government because it is going to be to the credit of the state government if it ensures that the resources going to the local government where developmental projects are supposed to take place is responsibly and judiciously appropriated, applied and executed.

鈥淪o, I am challenging the local government chairmen. You must add value to yourselves and develop yourselves.”

The Executive Chairman of EFCC, urged the LG system to put in place a structure of accountability at the local level.

The starting point, he stated, is getting the leadership of the councils to be in tune with laws and regulations governing public finance at the local level and ensure compliance.

He said that the system of checks and balances in the councils through separation of power must be enthroned.

Olukoyede said: 鈥淲e discover that most times, the legislative units of the local governments don鈥檛 sit, most times, they don鈥檛 even work.

鈥淲ithout full expression of the autonomy of the branches of government at the local government level, the chairmen of councils will continue to act as sole administrators with concomitant dangers to due process and accountability. “You are not sole administrators but local government chairmen.”

He added: “Community leaders, even traditional rulers, it is part of your duties as royal fathers to ensure that you monitor the activities of the local government administration within your domain.

鈥淐ivil societies also, we are challenging you to do your work and rise to the occasion. “We must all take a greater interest in the resources of the councils that are expended through budget tracking and oversight.

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