The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has called on local government chairpersons across Nigeria to ensure that increased financial allocations translate into measurable benefits for citizens.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede made the call in Abuja during the maiden Annual National Conference of Local Government Council Chairmen and Traditional Rulers Councils.
Olukoyede said the Commission’s commitment to transparency and accountability extends to the sub-national level and stressed that larger resource flows to local councils should result in better living conditions for people at the grassroots.
The intervention comes amid renewed attention to the financial and administrative position of local government councils and how increased resources at the third tier of government are managed.
For anti-corruption enforcement, the significance lies in the possibility that greater fiscal autonomy may also increase the need for effective procurement controls, financial reporting and oversight.
The EFCC’s message effectively places council administrations on notice that local spending will remain within the anti-graft agency’s accountability remit.
For residents, however, the ultimate issue is not simply how much money reaches a council account but whether allocations can be traced to functioning roads, healthcare, education, sanitation and other local services.
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Source: Premium Times
