Emmanuel OchayiA call for increased scrutiny and transparency in local government operations has been made by Sully Abu, the Managing Director at Sully Abu & Associates.
He stated this on Wednesday during a speech delivered at an audit reporting training session for journalists held at the Golfview Suites and Conference Center in Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe event titled “X-raying State Government Audit Reports,” was organized by the Frontfoot Media Initiative in association with the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism and the MacArthur Foundation.
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The former spokesman of the defunct Goodluck Jonathan presidential Campaign spoke on the topic “Reflection on Local Government Audit Reports And The Accountability Process.”
He harped on the need for increased awareness and accountability within the local government systems.
He stated: “Local governments are prepared by local government officials but are subjected to the ministry of local government. The state government determines what allocation goes to the local government. The local government are not as prominent as they should be. They are recognized at local functions like traditional kings’ coronations. But they are known when it comes to harassing the citizens, collection of levies which nobody knows what it is used for.”
The speaker expressed concerns about the opacity of local government functions within states and the lack of accountability. He noted, “Local government functions in states are opaque. Sometimes, local government councils and chairmen are issued queries but do not answer to such queries. Citizens and the media need to pay attention to the report by the auditor general of local government and ask them questions when necessary.”
The former campaign spokesman stressed that the lack of attention to these matters leads to financial impropriety, saying, “When attention is not paid to this, money meant for the welfare of the citizens is stolen. The leaders should not be restructuring based on one region dominating the other but on the basis of accountability. We cannot keep on sustaining 36 states and 774 local governments because the country is broke. If the basic issues in the country are not tackled, things will continue to be like fantasy.”
The training session brought together experts, journalists, and media professionals to discuss and dissect state government audit reports. Their goal is to shed light on potential issues, hold local governments accountable, and ensure that funds meant for the welfare of citizens are used responsibly.
This call for greater scrutiny of local government operations aligns with the ongoing efforts to promote transparency and accountability in government institutions, as well as to address financial mismanagement at the local level.
The emphasis on accountability as the basis for restructuring highlights the importance of responsible governance in addressing the country’s challenges.
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Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
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