Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged local government chairmen to embrace accountability, warning that they are not immune from investigation or prosecution for financial mismanagement.
Speaking at the Gombe State Local Government Summit on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Olukoyede stressed the need for prudent management of public funds. “Local government chairmen do not have immunity, and we are not going to wait until you finish your tenure to come after you,” he stated.
He lamented the persistent poverty and underdevelopment in rural areas despite significant financial allocations, describing many local councils as “caricatures existing only in name.” To promote transparency, he advised chairmen to establish compliance units and revealed that the EFCC’s Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) Department would monitor fund utilization in Gombe’s councils.
“EFCC will be paying you visits occasionally. Sometimes, you may even see us in your dreams,” he quipped.
Olukoyede praised Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa for his commitment to financial transparency, stating that if more governors followed his example, the EFCC’s workload would be reduced.
Meanwhile, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu decried the lack of transparency in local governance, revealing that only seven out of Nigeria’s 774 local governments have websites, making financial oversight difficult.
Governor Inuwa emphasized that the summit aimed to strengthen local government administration in line with the new financial autonomy granted to councils, ensuring they have the capacity and discipline to serve their communities effectively.
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