By Ovasa Ogaga,
In a significant move towards enhancing governance, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced plans to closely monitor local government activities. This initiative aims to ensure good governance, accountability, and transparency in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent ruling that grants financial autonomy to local governments.
Advocate.ng reports that the announcement was made at a national dialogue organized by Agora Policy, themed "Enthroning Accountability in Local Government in Nigeria," held in Abuja. During the event, Friday Ebelo, representing the EFCC Chairman, highlighted the core elements of good governance. He 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 underscored its commitment to scrutinizing local government operations, emphasizing the need for governance that directly impacts citizens. "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 stated.
Moreover, the EFCC issued a stern warning against maintaining the status quo, indicating a renewed focus on accountability at the local government level. "Business as usual" would not be tolerated, they warned.
Waziri Adio, founder of Agora Policy, also called for reforms, noting the widespread mistrust in rural government areas. "Local government areas are the least trusted, least capacitated, and least interesting to the public," he remarked. Adio further highlighted the declining trust in local government administration, citing Afrobarometer’s 2008 survey, which reported that only 28 percent of citizens trusted local government, down from 58 percent in 2000.
He advocated for increased citizen engagement and accountability, saying, "We need to fix the broken representative government by involving people directly in decision-making." Adio added that establishing robust accountability mechanisms is essential, involving "vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability mechanisms."
Through these efforts, the EFCC and other stakeholders aim to foster a more transparent and accountable local government system that meets the needs of the Nigerian populace.
