By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Determined to stamp out corruption in the Local Government Administration (LGA) in Nigeria, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will soon engage the leadership of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on transparency and accountability at the local government areas.
This hint was dropped today in Abuja by the ICPC Executive Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, on the sideline of the One-Day National Anti-Corruption Coalition (NACC) Members’ Hybrid Engagement On Local Government Accountability Initiative held at the Commission’s headquarters on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
According to Aliyu, the fight against corruption and all types of graft is being fought on all fronts, just as it has become expedient to beam the searchlights into the corruptions in the local government administration, pointing out that there is need to focus on how the huge finances of the third tier of government in Nigeria is expended.
He said the first step is to sensitise the Commission’s partners like NACC in order to build strong foot soldiers that will in turn sensitise those at the grassroots of government about accountability and transparency.
Said he: “We are focusing on other areas, which include issues on physical transparency, citizen engagements, and other corruption prevention mechanisms.
“We are trying to see how we are going to use our mandate to tackle the corruption in the LGA system to ensure we enhance accountability and transparency at the local levels and also to ensure that our people have received the dividends of democracy as enshrined in the constitution of this country”.
Asked if ICPC will in the near future engage the LGA Chairmen across the country to let them know about the fight against corruption at the LGAs.
Aliyu said: ” Yes, we are going to engage them in the future. Now, we have started engagements with those who are our own partners. We are sensitising them to say this is what we are doing.
Then, next, we are going to look at other critical stakeholders.
They include ALGON, we are going to meet members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Civil Society Organisations (CSO), and our own development partners, so that we can see how we can come together to ensure that this issues of the local governments autonomy can take off properly.
And we can also block these challenges that happen at the local government councils”.
In his welcome remarks, the ICPC boss, reiterated that the fight against corruption is not a one-off event, saying that it is an ongoing battle that requires sustained effort, unwavering commitment, and the active participation of all stakeholders.
He therefore told NACC members and other participants that: “The success of our efforts in local government administration will have a ripple effect, contributing significantly to national development and fostering a more equitable and prosperous society for all Nigerians”.
The ICPC Chairman also told NACC members that their presence in “this crucial engagement on “Accountability and Corruption Prevention in Local Government Administration”, underscores the collective commitment we share towards building a Nigeria free from the shackles of corruption, starting from the grassroots”.
Said he: “Local government administration, often described as the closest tier of government to the people, is undeniably the bedrock of our democratic governance. It is at this level that the daily realities of our citizens are shaped, where essential services are meant to be delivered, and where development initiatives should directly impact lives.
“From primary healthcare and basic education to sanitation and rural infrastructure, the effectiveness of local government is directly proportional to the well-being of our communities.
Aliyu, however, regretted that it is also at this level that the insidious tentacles of corruption often find fertile ground. The diversion of funds meant for local projects, ghost worker syndicates, inflated contracts, and the misappropriation of internally generated revenues are but a few examples of the corrupt practices that undermine the very essence of local governance.
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“When corruption thrives at the local level, it directly impedes development, erodes public trust, and ultimately stunts the progress of our nation. It is a betrayal of the trust reposed in public officials by the very people they are meant to serve”, Aliyu concluded.
Meanwhile, Dr. Umar Yakubu, who spoke on “Presentation On The Local Government Accountability Initiative and Bello Bakori who lectured on “Measures Of Combating Corruption In Local Government Councils In Nigeria”, decried the massive corruption in the LGAs even as the Supreme Court of Nigeria had given full autonomy to the third tier of government in the country.
