The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has pledged to closely monitor Local Government activities to promote good governance, accountability, and transparency.
This commitment comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments.
At a national dialogue organized by Agora Policy in Abuja, themed ‘Enthroning Accountability in Local Government in Nigeria’, the representative of the EFCC Chairman, Friday Ebelo, stated, “Good governance encompasses three essential elements: accountability, transparency, and citizen participation. For these elements to be effective, we need dedicated and development-minded individuals to manage local government administrations.”
The EFCC emphasized its determination to scrutinize local government operations, saying, “We must make a deliberate effort to bring the presence of governance to our people, ensuring that citizens feel the impact of governance in their daily lives, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.”
The commission warned against the continuation of “business as usual,” signaling a renewed focus on holding local governments accountable.
The Founder of Agora Policy, Waziri Adio, highlighted the need for reform within rural government areas, stating, “Local government areas are the least trusted, least capacitated, and least interesting to the public.”
He noted that only 28 percent of citizens trusted local government administration, according to Afrobarometer’s 2008 survey, a significant drop from 58 percent in 2000.
Adio advocated for greater awareness, engagement, and accountability, saying, “We need to fix the broken representative government by involving people directly in decision-making.”
He further emphasized the need for comprehensive accountability mechanisms, stating, “We need to increase awareness, engagement, and accountability. This requires vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability mechanisms.”
Kole Shettima, Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, highlighted the necessity of local governance reform, referencing a conversation where a villager expected President Buhari to resolve a local water issue.
He noted, “This shows the mentality of our people, expecting the president to fix all problems.”
Shettima praised the Agora Policy Center for fostering policy discussions and recognized efforts by local governments to involve citizens in decision-making.
