Anxiety as EFCC Sends Notice to LG Chairmen, Gives Reason
- The EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyode, has vowed that the commission will go after local government chairmen in the country soon
- Speaking at an event bordering on accountability and good governance in the 774 local government areas in the country, Olukoyode said the Supreme Court judgment on LG autonomy informed the agency's notice to the local councils
- According to the EFCC chairman, the move will strengthen accountability, transparency and citizen participation at the local government level
Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has reiterated the agency's determination to scrutinise local government area administrations in Nigeria following the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the councils.
The chairman of the anti-graft agency spoke at a dialogue on deepening accountability and good governance in Nigeria's 774 LGAs.
Source: Twitter
Why EFCC vowed to probe council chairs
According to TheCable, Olukoyede's comment followed the Supreme Court's ruling granting financial autonomy to local councils.
Punch also reported that at the event, the EFCC chairman stressed the importance of accountability, transparency, and citizen participation in good governance.
He called for "solid and development-minded people" to lead LGA administrations. According to him, the EFCC will monitor LGA activities to ensure effective governance.
The EFCC chairman was represented by the agency's director and coordinator of special duties, Friday Ebelo, who said that “solid and development-minded people are needed to man the local government administrations”.
Stakeholders want attention focus on LG
Waziri Adio, founder of Agora Policy, who also spoke at the event, noted that LGAs are the least trusted tier of government despite their critical role.
Adio attributed the lack of trust to ineffective functioning and citizen disinterest. He emphasized the need for accountability mechanisms to ensure representatives serve the people.
He then suggested experimenting with direct democracy to enhance citizens' involvement and deepen democracy at the local level.
Kole Shettima, MacArthur Foundation Africa director, identified education, policy discourse, and local vs. federal dynamics as hindrances to effective local governance.
Shettima called for platforms for policy discussion and community-driven projects to drive positive change in Nigeria's local governance landscape.
Video of EFCC official, military brawling fact-checked
Legit.ng earlier reported that a viral video of alleged EFCC operatives fighting with military personnel was fact-checked.
It was discovered that the video was a skit done in 2023 but was recently shared on social media to portray the EFCC in a bad light.
The EFCC had commented on the skit and warned against the unauthorised use of its identity.
Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
