LG Autonomy: Misappropriate funds, go to jail – CDHR, CARF, CACOL tells LG Chairmen

By Clifford Ejenavi

The Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) and Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum (CARF) have given serious warning to Local Government Chairmen as regards the verdict of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to them, noting
that local government Chairmen don’t have immunity, therefore they can be sued and even be jailed for misappropriation of their funds while in office.

President of CDHR, who is also the Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, made this known at the CARF monthly stakeholders interactive roundtable on public policy making and execution held on Thursday August 29, 2024 in Lagos.

The theme of this month is “Prognosing into the Future of Local Government Autonomy in Lagos State: Prospects and Challenges”.

Adeniran hinted that Local Government Chairmen should realize that they don’t have immunity against both civil and criminal prosecutions, adding that they should tread softly not to run foul of the extant laws against corruption, misuse and abuse of power.

He said on their part, they have itemized some plans to put local government administrators on their toes as far as prudent and judicious spending of resources in their coffers is concerned.

“We will track all income to the Local Government Areas from Abuja. All that information is available from the Federal Budget office and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation. All financial receipts to all Local Government Council will be tracked diligently and meticulously.

“We will officially write under the Freedom of Information (FOI) law, and demand for details of monthly FAAC allocations, monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), record of expenditure vis-à-vis, salaries and allowances of Local Government workers, political appointees, health and primary school workers, traditional rulers, etc.

“We will officially write under the FOI law, and demand for forensic examination of the total number of people on the Local Government Area payroll and what their statutory pay is.

“We will officially write under the FOI law, and demand records of expenditure on Local Government Area projects and interventions.

“We anticipate that some Local Government Area Chairmen will be recalcitrant to respond to our demands, so we are already working with some notable legal minds to ensure that we sue the Chairman concerned and ask the Court to compel the Council to make all details of the Council’s income and expenditure available to the public who own the money. We are prepared to file as many cases as can give us a victory on this. We believe that the courts will oblige.

“We intend to give real time, accurate, factual and objective reports of local government area developmental strides and interventions.

“If our money is misappropriated, embezzled or siphoned, we will drag the Local Government Chairman concerned to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). Remember, Local Government Chairmen don’t have immunity.

“If the any of the Chairmen does well and develops his Local Government, we will sing his or her praises to high heavens and roll the drums on the streets. We will continually take action in commending good deeds or condemning whatever we find untowardly in the way they administer people’s funds in their areas of jurisdiction”, Adeniran stated.

He maintained that Local Government is one of man’s oldest institutions, adding that the earliest form of local governments exists in the form of clan and village meetings. “In fact, democracy itself originated and developed along the lines of local governance initiatives in the ancient Greek city states. One of the major functions of local government is to bring about meaningful development in the rural areas. As agents of rural development, the local governments are to utilize the funds obtained from federal and state governments and their internally generated revenue to improve the lives of the people within their areas of operation such as initiating and attracting developmental projects like provision of access roads, water and rural electricity to the Local Government Areas”, he said.

Adeniran also said, “It is important to appreciate the importance of the local government administration in any political and governance structure. Without doubt, it is the foundation on which the superstructure of the state is based and the most effective tier of government to meet the basic needs of the citizens as it is the tier closest to the people. The proper administration of the Local Government system is the fastest and most reliable way to bring development and the gains of democracy closest to the people.”