By Our Reporter
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and several federal accountability agencies have disclosed that there is no verifiable evidence that local governments receive their statutory allocations directly from the Federation Account.
The revelation emerged at a capacity-building workshop on the Local Government Accountability Framework (LGAF) for Plateau State’s 17 Local Government Chairmen in Jos. The programme was supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) initiative, funded by the European Union.
The Executive Secretary of the ICPC, Clifford Oparaodu, said although the Supreme Court has affirmed full local government autonomy, most councils have no knowledge of the actual funds allocated to them. He explained that funds are routed through State Joint Accounts Committees, leaving councils to accept what state governments release.
“This system makes planning difficult and undermines transparency at the grassroots level,” he said. “Local governments cannot be truly accountable if they do not know what they are entitled to receive.”
The programme also featured contributions from the Code of Conduct Bureau, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Ministry of Justice, all of which emphasized the need for transparency, ethical conduct, effective procurement processes, and public participation in governance.
Coordinator of the LGAF initiative, Umar Yakubu, noted that local governments receive nearly 20 percent of national revenues but weak oversight and citizens’ low involvement have prevented these funds from translating into improved services such as schools, health facilities and infrastructure.
He said development will remain stalled until transparency in local government finances becomes a public demand.
Courtesy: Vanguard.