The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cautioned chairmen and councillors of local government areas in the country to shun corruption, be accountable and deliver the dividends of democracy to their constituents in line with the aim of the recent Supreme Court order that granted them financial autonomy.
The anti-graft agency said it would no longer be business as usual for the administrators, especially as more resources would be handed to them.
“It is on this note that we (the EFCC) serve a notice to local government administration that it will not be business as usual; their activities will be scrutinised. They must make sure there is a presence of governance for their people. The citizens must feel the presence of government at local governments,” EFCC chairman Olanipekun Olukayode said yesterday at a policy conversation entitled ‘Enthroning Accountability in Local Governance in Nigeria’ convened by Agora Policy and five partners.
Represented by Friday Ebelo who is a senior staff member of the commission, the EFCC chairman said the local government administrators must use the public resources at their disposal to intentionally provide healthcare centres, schools, potable water and more dividends of democracy to their people.
An array of stakeholders from the political, civic and other stakeholders in the political spectrum who thronged the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja yesterday discussed how to deepen accountability, democracy and good governance in Nigeria’s over 774 local government areas (LGAs).
Speaking at the forum, the founder of Agora Policy, Waziri Adio, expressed concern at the lukewarm attitude of most Nigerians to local government administration in the country, making it easy for incapable, untrained and corrupt politicians, whose aim is mostly to divert public funds to personal use against the desired provision of social amenities for the good of the citizenry.
He said the recent approval of financial autonomy for the LGAs by the Supreme Court is a call on all stakeholders to hold the local government administrators accountable.
Africa director of MacArthur Foundation, Kole Shettima, said Nigeria should look at how to strengthen local government administration for efficient service delivery, while also urging the push for ideas around local governance and local government administration.
“The level of the depth of problems we are dealing with is huge,” he stated.
Unlike the federal and state government levels, Dr Shettima said the local governments are places where people easily make money and are never scrutinised or made to account for resources allocated to them.
On his part, Mr Adio said there is a need to activate mechanisms to ensure accountability at the local government levels.
He stressed the urgent need to deepen democracy at the local level through massive participation in the processes that produce political leadership at the level.
He said the people need to be part of governance. He said the different administrative instruments, including traditional, religious and political leaders and opinion leaders for mass mobilisation for political participation at the local level.
Executive director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo said the failure of the Nigerian constitution to insulate States’ Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) from governors’ control emboldens them to manipulate SIECs and influence electoral outcomes.
“The tenure of local government councils should be prescribed in the Constitution. This will guarantee the conduct of regular elections and put an end to the loophole exploited to justify the appointment of caretaker committees or dissolution of local government councils. To guarantee the financial autonomy of the SIECs, its funding should be on first-line charge,” the Yiaga boss stated.
He also argued that ensuring financial autonomy for SIECs would guarantee their independence from state governors.
Executive director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr Otive Igbuzor said for the local government system to work in Nigeria, there must be a firm entrenchment of an internal system within the government for transparent budgeting, open contracting and open governance.
“There is also a need for strong legislative oversight by the councillors, an independent mechanism for monitoring local governments by the various anti-graft agencies of government, and a vibrant media and citizenship participation for good governance.
“Unless these five mechanisms operate, we are creating another challenge,” he said.
