The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged local government officials to ensure transparency and accountability in managing public funds, following the Supreme Court’s financial autonomy ruling.

The ICPC secretary, Clifford Oparaodu, made the call in his opening remarks at a capacity-building workshop with the theme “Local Government Accountability Framework in Nigeria” on Monday in Lagos.

Mr Oparaodu said that the Supreme Court’s decision represented a major step toward strengthening democracy and good governance.

“The grant of autonomy comes with its own challenges, which is why we are here today.

“We all have a collective duty to ensure that the authority given to local governments is exercised responsibly. Privilege without discipline can easily lead to abuse,” he said.

He commended the collaboration among key federal agencies, which he said aimed at strengthening governance at the grassroots level.

The agencies, according to him, include the ICPC, Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Public Procurement Bureau (PPB), and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“The joint exercise was more than just a routine training but an opportunity to sensitise local government officials on ethical leadership, public finance management, and compliance with existing laws.

“Some actions taken in office, even without intent, can amount to breaches of existing laws.

“After today, no one can claim ignorance, because ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” he said.

He explained that the collaboration among the five agencies was designed to send a unified message to all tiers of government.

According to him, it is to send a signal that anti-corruption and accountability institutions are working together to ensure compliance and integrity in public administration.

“Each agency has its own role: some advisory, some enforcement. The ICPC’s role is particularly coercive; we can train, guide, and, when necessary, prosecute,” he said.

The secretary urged participants to take the lessons from the session seriously and to cascade the knowledge to others in their respective local government areas.

“We are bringing this initiative to your doorstep so that local governments can save resources and learn directly from those enforcing the laws.

“As leaders, it is your duty to pass this message to your teams and ensure compliance at all levels,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the joint training would help promote responsible governance, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and reinforce public trust in local government administration.

In the same vein, ICPC Director Olusegun Adigun urged local government officials to strengthen accountability, build institutional capacity, and maintain integrity in service delivery to citizens.

Mr Adigun emphasised that local governments played a critical role in the country’s socio-economic development, noting that effective delivery of basic services directly enhances citizens’ quality of life.

“Local government is a vital link between the people and the government. It is an independent tier of government as affirmed by the Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local councils,” he said.

He referred to the landmark Supreme Court judgement of July 11, 2024, which ruled that state governments’ control over local government funds was unconstitutional.

The court mandated direct allocation of federal funds to all 774 local government councils in Nigeria and declared caretaker committees illegal.

He described corruption as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s development, explaining that while there is no universal definition, bribery remains its most common description.

Also speaking, the executive chairman of the FRC, Victor Muruako, urged local government officials across Nigeria to strengthen accountability and transparency in managing public fund development.

He described local governments as the “most critical tier of governance” for national development.

Mr Muruako, a former local government chairman, recounted his long involvement in local governance, stressing that his passion for grassroots development stemmed from firsthand experience.

“Local government is where real development should begin. I feel very emotional about it because I have been part of the system,” he said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to restoring autonomy to local governments and implementing the Supreme Court judgement.

Ajibola Ijimakinwa, the Lagos State coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, said the programme focused on justice sector reforms and accountability.

According to her, RoLAC covers criminal justice reform and access to justice for women, children, and persons with disabilities, as well as transparency in governance.

Ms Ijimakinwa said the workshop was timely, especially in light of the Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments.

She urged participants to apply lessons from the workshop to promote transparency and integrity in their councils, noting that the session was designed to provide practical strategies for enhancing local government accountability.

Ms Ijimakinwa reaffirmed RoLAC’s commitment to supporting institutional reforms and citizen engagement for effective governance.

The representative of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mokuolu Adesina, urged local governments to publish clear evaluation criteria when conducting public procurement to avoid subjectivity and ambiguity.

He stressed the importance of selecting evaluators with relevant expertise and rotating committee membership to ensure fairness.

Mr Adesina also emphasised that every stage of the evaluation process should be properly documented.

The event is supported by international partners, including the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the European Union.

(NAN)